CO2-responsive smart wormlike micelles based on monomer and “pseudo” gemini surfactant

CO 2 -responsive wormlike micelles based on monomer erucic acid 3-(N,N-dimethylamino)propylamide (EADP) with or without sodium salicylate (NaSal) in aqueous solution were studied and compared with “pseudo” gemini system. The “pseudo” gemini system were formed by a mixture of EADP and maleic acid (MA) with molar ratio between 2:1–1:1. Different morphological transformations of microstructures in response to EADP concentrations, additives and CO 2 stimuli were further investigated in these systems, the wormlike micelle or vesicles can be obtained. The mechanism of these transitions were further investigated by rheology, cryo-TEM and DFT calculation, the results showed that the mechanism behind this transition involved reversible reaction of CO 2 with EADP. The mechanism in this research may give further evidence to the self-assembly of CO 2 -responsive surfactants.