Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 14, 2026

A Facile and Efficient Approach for the Production of Reversible Disulfide Cross-linked Micelles
Published on: December 23, 2016
Photoreversible polymer-surfactant micelles using the molecular recognition of α-cyclodextrin
Zhen-Qiang Dong1, Ya Cao, Xiao-Juan Han
1State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering, Polymer Research Institute of Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China.
Abstract:
Photoreversible micelles were achieved by a combination of commercially available components sodium alginate (Alg), tetradecyltrimethylammonium bromide (TTAB), α-cyclodextrin (α-CD), and 4-(phenylazo)benzoic acid (PBA). Under visible light irradiation, α-CD interacted more favorably with PBA than with alkyl chains of TTAB. Therefore, polymer-surfactant micelles were formed by the self-assembly of Alg and TTAB through electrostatic attraction. After UV irradiation, micelles were disrupted because PBA in the cis form lost its ability to complex with α-CD, and then the latter was interacted with TTAB to prevent the association of alkyl chains of TTAB. On alternating irradiation of this quaternary system with UV and visible light, this reversible micellization process can be recycled many times.
More Related Videos
07:39Facile Synthesis of Worm-like Micelles by Visible Light Mediated Dispersion Polymerization Using Photoredox Catalyst
Published on: June 8, 2016
10:53Anionic Polymerization of an Amphiphilic Copolymer for Preparation of Block Copolymer Micelles Stabilized by π-π Stacking Interactions
Published on: October 10, 2016
Related Concept Videos
Micelles
Surface Active Agents