Viscoelastic Properties of Worm-like Micelle of Aluminum Tristearylate/Decahydronaphthalene

Temperature dependence of dynamic viscoelastic properties for 7 wt% solution of aluminum tristearylate (C18Al) in decahydronaphthalene (decalin), prepared by 2 hours heating at 130 °C and 1 day aging at room temperature, are examined. Shapes of dynamic moduli vs. frequency plots are similar to those of entangled polymer systems, implying that this system forms wormlike micelles. Temperature dependence of zero shear viscosity η0 can be expressed by an Arrhenius type equation. The specific viscosities obtained at different temperature are almost constant. Plateau modulus GN gradually increases with increase of temperature T, and the values reduced by absolute temperature are almost constant. The structure examined by small angle neutron scattering and X-ray diffraction was practically the same at different T. Therefore, we conclude that as long as the sample preparation condition is maintained the same, the network structure of C18Al/decalin micelle is practically the same at different temperatures and the main relaxation process of the network is similar to entangled polymers, at least for limited conditions tested in this study.