Hydrogen peroxide-responsive micellar transition from spherical to worm-like in cetyltrimethylammonium bromide/3-fluorophenylboronic acid/fructose system

In this study, we successfully prepared a novel hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-responsive micellar system, whose viscosity drastically changes depending on H2O2 levels. The cationic surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB)/3-fluorophenol (3FPhOH) and CTAB/3-fluorophenylboronic acid (3FPBA) systems exhibited high viscosity. The viscosity of the CTAB/3FPBA system significantly decreased with the addition of fructose (Fru). The zero-shear viscosity of the CTAB/3FPBA/Fru system with 40 mM H2O2 increased 4 × 104-fold in comparison to that without H2O2. We confirmed that both the CTAB/3FPhOH and CTAB/3FPBA/Fru with H2O2 systems form worm-like micelle (WLM) structures based on their rheological properties. The results of dynamic light scattering measurements supported the micellar transition with the addition of H2O2. We successfully demonstrated H2O2-responsive micellar transition from spherical/shorter rod-like micelles to long WLMs. We utilized the two reactions in the CTAB-based micellar system to control micellar transitions and viscosities: (i) Phenylboronic acid (PBA) forms a reversible cyclic ester structure with Fru and (ii) PBA reacts with H2O2 to convert phenol.