Figure 2. Micelle formation and gelation for P407 solutions with SDS and ML.

a Rheology data showing the absence of a temperature-dependent rheological transition in 18% w/v P407 with 2% w/v SDS, while the addition of 2% w/v ML to the 18% w/v P407 maintained the solution-to-gel transition.

b DSC data showing the absence of the temperature-dependent thermodynamic micellization transition in 18% w/v P407 with 2% w/v SDS, while 2% w/v ML preserved that micellization.

c 1D SAXS data at 35 °C illustrating the absence of a well-defined or ordered population of micelles for 18% w/v P407 with 2% w/v SDS, while the addition of 2% w/v ML preserved the gel structure of FCC-packed micelles seen in 18% w/v P407. Peaks were labeled with the corresponding lattice planes.

d Decay coefficient (Γ) determined via multi-angle Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS), plotted as a function of q² for 1% w/v P407 solutions with 0.1% w/v ML or SDS. Error bands represent the 95% confidence interval around the slope. The R_h values are determined from the Stokes-Einstein equation and are reported as the mean ± 95% confidence interval. See Section S2 for further information.

e Schematics (not to scale) of solutions of P407, P407 + SDS mixture, and P407 + ML mixture. As suggested by Kancharla et al.,^[22c] the SDS-containing solutions formed mixed micelles of SDS stabilized by a P407 chain; whereas ML likely formed micron-sized oil droplets that were minimally incorporated into the P407 micelles.

f Optical image and micrographs of clear gels of 18% w/v P407 and cloudy gels of 18% w/v P407 with 2% w/v ML at 37 °C. Optical microscope images reveal the micron-sized oil droplets formed by ML. Scale bar = 200 μm.