Beyond Covalent Crosslinks: Applications of Supramolecular Gels

Gels

AndrewJ. Lew¹  JuliaH. Ortony²  Ty Christoff-Tempesta² 

[1] Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA;Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA;

关键词: supramolecular gel;    self-assembly;    gels;    applied soft matter;   

DOI  :  10.3390/gels4020040

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

Traditionally, gels have been defined by their covalently cross-linked polymer networks. Supramolecular gels challenge this framework by relying on non-covalent interactions for self-organization into hierarchical structures. This class of materials offers a variety of novel and exciting potential applications. This review draws together recent advances in supramolecular gels with an emphasis on their proposed uses as optoelectronic, energy, biomedical, and biological materials. Additional special topics reviewed include environmental remediation, participation in synthesis procedures, and other industrial uses. The examples presented here demonstrate unique benefits of supramolecular gels, including tunability, processability, and self-healing capability, enabling a new approach to solve engineering challenges.

【 授权许可】

Unknown