BRANCHED THREAD-LIKE MICELLES IN AN AQUEOUS-SOLUTION OF A TRIMERIC SURFACTANT

Very long threadlike micelles observed in aqueous solutions of some su rfactants have attracted much attention because of the peculiar theolo gical properties of these systems, Molecular dynamics simulations have suggested that branched threadlike micelles should exist in concentra ted solutions of dimeric surfactants. Here experimental evidence, obta ined from transmission electron microscopy at cryogenic temperature, i s presented of branched threadlike micelles in aqueous solutions of a triquaternary ammonium (trimeric) surfactant made up of three amphiphi lic moieties connected at the level of the headgroups by two propanedi yl spacers.