Polymerization of Rodlike Micelles

A new polymerizable surfactant, cetyltrimethylammonium 4-vinylbenzoate (CTVB), has been prepared and investigated. In aqueous solution, highly entangled rodlike aggregates are formed at millimolar surfactant concentrations. Free-radical polymerization of the surfactant counterions results in nearly complete conversion to a stable, nonviscous solution. Small-angle neutron scattering reveals that the micellar diameter of 40 Å is unchanged during the polymerization process and that the final polymerized micelle length (400−1200 Å) is determined by the relative initiator concentration. In addition, the parent rodlike micellar aggregates rearrange into spherical micelles at elevated temperature, whereas the polymerized structures are insensitive to temperature changes or dilution.