A pH-responsive anionic wormlike micelle based on ion release effect of phosphate

A novel pH-responsive wormlike micelle was formed by combining one kind of anionic surfactant (sodium dodecyl trioxyethylene sulphate (SDES)) with inorganic salt (sodium phosphate (Na3PO4)). The morphology transition of the system was represented by rheology, macroscopic appearance, dynamic light scattering and cryoTEM images. Besides, conductivity and surface tension measurement were also used additionally to illustrate the transition mechanism. The results proved that the morphology transition of this system can be realized by the sodium ion release of phosphate adjusted by pH, and the aggregates transformed from spherical micelles to wormlike micelles with high viscosity by adding HCI. In addition, the viscosity increased slowly by further addition of inorganic base. The utilization of the ion release of inorganic salt expands the new ideas of pH responsive wormlike micelle construction. (C) 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.