Self-assembly of photoresponsive, mixed micelles: from worms to vesicles

In this work we will investigate the promising self-assembly behaviour of a mixed surfactant system comprising oleyl amidopropyl betaine (OAPB): a zwitterionic surfactant known to spontaneously form viscoelastic wormlike micelles4; and azoTAB: a photoresponsive, cationic surfactant capable of undergoing structural isomerisation from exposure to ultraviolet and visible light. The study will therefore involve small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) measurements to characterise the combined assembly of OAPB/azoTAB mixed micelles in water, to devise a light-controllable micellar fluid that can reversibly switch between wormlike and vesicular micelles.