Formation of viscoelastic micellar solutions by a novel cationic surfactant and anionic salt system

Abstract

A novel binary system consisting of a cationic surfactant and a counter ion that can form wormlike micelles with high viscosity is proposed. Wormlike micelles based on 2-hydroxyethyl dimethyl hexadecyl ammonium acetate (HDMHA) and sodium salicylate (NaSal) as counter ion were detected via both cryo-TEM and SANS in dilute solution. Moreover, rheological measurements of the HDMHA/NaSal system were conducted as a function of temperatures. The results demonstrate the formation of long elongated wormlike micelles in dilute solution at temperatures that exceed 60 °C.