Hydrogen-bond-induced microstructural transition of ionic micelles in the presence of neutral naphthols: pH dependent morphology and location of surface activity.

The effect of naphthols and methoxynaphthalenes on the microstructure transition of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) micelles is studied. Although the surface activities of these two types of organic dopants are strong, methoxynaphthalenes failed to promote spherical to worm-like micellar transition and to impart viscoelasticity to the aqueous CTAB solution, presumably due to their inability to form unique H-bonds with interfacial water. The micropolarity of OH sites of micelle-embedded naphthols is measured by observing the pK(a) shift at the micellar surface relative to bulk water. On the basis of spectroscopic and other data, the microstructures formed by both classes of dopants at the micellar surface are predicted. On the basis of hydroxyaromatic dopants, a simple and effective route to design pH-responsive viscoelastic worm-like micelles and the vesicles of single tail cationic surfactant (CTAB) is reported. Results are confirmed by observing cryogenic transmission electron microscopy (cryo-TEM) images.