pH and Redox Dual-Stimulated Wormlike Micelles Based on Cystamine and Conventional Anionic Surfactant

Redox-responsive soft materials have attracted considerable concerns throughout the last few decades. Herein, we report the preparation of dual-stimulated wormlike micelles (WLMs) based on N,N,N′,N′-tetramethylcystamine dihydrochloride (TMCDD) and a conventional anionic surfactant, sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). The WLMs can be reversibly switched on and off by adjusting pH, resulting from the reversible protonation of TMCDD. Moreover, the WLMs can be destroyed by a redox reaction after addition of dithiothreitol (DTT), originating from the cleavage of the disulfide bonds in TMCDD. The dual responsiveness of the WLMs allowed for the smart control of the “sol–gel” transition or thickening of viscoelastic solutions, and the micelles will have a wider range of applications in the development of functional materials for pharmaceutical or biomedical materials.