Heating-induced micelle to vesicle transition in the cationic-anionic surfactant systems: Comprehensive study and understanding.

Heating-induced micelle to vesicle transition (MVT), which has been rarely reported in surfactant systems, was systemically studied in a number of mixed cationic-anionic surfactant systems. According to the turbidity measurements, the investigated systems can be divided into two classes: Class A and B. Heating-induced MVT was observed in Class A at certain total surfactant concentrations and mixed surfactant ratios, while no such transition was found in Class B. Further investigations revealed that the heating-induced MVT is more likely to take place in the cationic-anionic surfactant systems with relatively stronger molecule interaction and larger micelle aggregation number. The effects of several physicochemical factors, such as the variation of mixed surfactant ratios and the addition of n-decanol on the heating-induced MVT, were also studied.