Rheology, cryogenic transmission electron spectroscopy, and small-angle neutron scattering of highly viscoelastic wormlike micellar solutions

To understand the strong viscoelastic response showed by aqueous solutions of erucylbis(hydroxyethyl)methylammonium chloride (EHAC) in the presence of potassium chloride (KCl), steady-state rheology, small-angle neutron scattering (SANS), and cryogenic transmission electron microscopy (cryo-TEM) experiments were performed. This cationic surfactant has the ability to self-assemble into giant wormlike micelles. The effect of surfactant concentration, added salt, and temperature were investigated. The surfactant solutions have a gellike behavior at room temperature and become Maxwellian as the temperature is increased. It was found that the low-shear viscosity has a strong dependence on salt concentration and temperature. Small-angle scattering indicated the formation of wormlike micelles. The high-Q range was fitted using the Kratky-Porod wormlike chain model, and a cross-sectional radius of gyration (R-g,R-xs) of 21 Angstrom was obtained. Additionally, cryo-TEM images revealed changes in the structure of the entangled network with the addition of salt.