A photorheologically reversible micelle composed of polymerizable cationic surfactant n-cetyl dimethylallyl ammonium chloride (CDAAC) and tran.s-4-phenylazo benzoic acid (trans-RCA) was prepared. The effects of molar ratio of CDAAC/trans-ACA, time of UV and visible light irradiation and temperature on the rheological properties of micellar system were investigated. The results show that before UV irradiation the system with an optimum CDAAC, wans-ACA molar ratio of 1A forms viscoelastic micelles at 45 degrees C. After 365 nm UV irradiation, the viscosities of micelle systems with different concentrations at fixed molar ratio of 14 are decreased by 85114-95114. The CDAAC, wans-ACA (14 mmoL.L-1/10 mmol.L-1) micelle system exhibits shear thinning property and its viscosity is decreased obviously with the increases of UV irradiation time less than 1 h. The rheological process during UV irradiation for CDAAC/trans-ACA (14 mmol.L-1/10 mmol.L-1) micelle proves that viscosi[y, elastic modulus C' and viscous modulus G '' will reduce quickly with the UV light. Furthermore, the micelle system after 1 h UV irradiation is able to revert to its initial high viscosity with 460 rim visible light irradiation for 4h, and the micelle can be cycled between low and high viscosity states by repetitive UV and visible light irradiations. The UV-Vis spectra of CDAAC/tran.s-ACA micelle indicate that its photosensitive rheological properties are related closely to photoisomerization of trans-RCA to cis-ACA. (C) 2015 The Chemical Industry and Engineering Society of China, and Chemical Industry Press. All rights reserved.