Ruiz-Olles J, Slavik P, Whitelaw NK, Smith DK. Self-Assembled Gels Formed in Deep Eutectic Solvents: Supramolecular Eutectogels with High Ionic Conductivity.
Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2019;
58:4173-4178. [PMID:
30682215 DOI:
10.1002/anie.201810600]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
1,3:2,4-Dibenzylidene-d-sorbitol (DBS), a simple, commercially relevant compound, was found to self-assemble as a result of intermolecular noncovalent interactions into supramolecular gels in deep eutectic solvents (DESs) based on choline chloride combined with alcohols/ureas. DBS formed gels at a loading of 5 % w/v. Rheology confirmed the gel-like nature of the materials, electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction indicated underpinning nanofibrillar DBS networks, and differential scanning calorimetry showed the DES nature of the liquid-like phase was retained. The ionic conductivities of the gels were similar to those of the unmodified DESs, thus proving the deep eutectic nature of the ionic liquid-like phase. Gelation was tolerant of ionic additives Li+ , Mg2+ , and Ca2+ ; the resulting gels had similar conductivities to electrolyte dissolved in the native DES. The low-molecular-weight gelator DBS is thus a low-cost additive that forms gels in DESs from readily available constituents, with conductivity levels suitable for practical applications.
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