Issue 10, 2018

How should multicomponent supramolecular gels be characterised?

Abstract

Low molecular weight gels, or supramolecular gels, are formed when small molecules self-assemble into fibrous structures. Above a critical concentration, the entanglement and cross-linking of these structures leads to the formation of a self-supporting gel. There are many examples where a single component is used to form such gels. There is however an ever-increasing interest in using multiple components. Here, if each component is able to form a gel by itself, a range of fibre types are possible, formed by either random or specific associations between the low molecular weight gelators (LMWG). The properties of the networks will depend on how the LMWG assemble into the primary fibrous structures and then how these primary structures entangle. As such, to understand these gels, it is necessary to understand the networks across multiple length scales. Here, we discuss the current state of the art, the effectiveness of the different techniques that have been used, and hopefully provide the impetus for the field to move away from the cartoon-level discussion of assembly.

Graphical abstract: How should multicomponent supramolecular gels be characterised?

Article information

Article type
Tutorial Review
Submitted
24 Nov 2017
First published
08 Feb 2018
This article is Open Access
Creative Commons BY license

Chem. Soc. Rev., 2018,47, 3395-3405

How should multicomponent supramolecular gels be characterised?

E. R. Draper and D. J. Adams, Chem. Soc. Rev., 2018, 47, 3395 DOI: 10.1039/C7CS00804J

This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported Licence. You can use material from this article in other publications without requesting further permissions from the RSC, provided that the correct acknowledgement is given.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements