Two-component self-assembly with solvent leading to “wet” and microcrystalline organogel fibers

The Effect of the Side Chain on Gelation Properties of Bile Acid Alkyl Amides

Six bile acid alkyl amide derivatives were studied with respect to their gelation properties. The derivatives were composed of three different bile acids with hexyl or cyclohexyl side chains. The gelation behaviour of all six compounds were studied for 36 solvents with varying polarities. Gelation was observed mainly in aromatic solvents, which is characteristic for bile-acid-based low molecular weight gelators. Out of 108 bile acid-solvent combinations, a total of 44 gel systems were formed, 28 of which from lithocholic acid derivatives, only two from deoxycholic acid derivatives, and 14 from cholic acid derivatives. The majority of the gel systems were formed from bile acids with hexyl side chains, contrary to the cyclohexyl group, which seems to be a poor gelation moiety. These results indicate that the spatial demand of the side chain is the key feature for the gelation properties of the bile acid amides.

A facile preparation method for new two-component supramolecular hydrogels and their performances in adsorption, catalysis, and stimuli-response

In this study, we prepared a novel multifunctional two-component supramolecular hydrogel (T-G hydrogel) via two organic molecules in ethanol/water mixed solvents. In addition, we prepared gold nanoparticle/T-G (AuNPs/T-G) composite hydrogels using T-G hydrogel as a template for stabilizing AuNPs by adding HAuCl₄ and NaBH₄ during the heating and cooling process of T-G hydrogels. The morphology and microstructure of the as-prepared hydrogels were characterized using SEM, TEM, XRD, and FT-IR. The hydrogels prepared by solutions that contained different ethanol/water volume ratios exhibited different microstructures, such as sheets, strips, and rods. The obtained T-G hydrogels exhibited a sensitive response to pH changes in the process of sol–gel transformation and showed good adsorption properties for model organic dyes. In the presence of NaBH₄, the obtained AuNP/T-G composite hydrogels exhibited the excellent catalytic performance for 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) degradation. Thus, the current research provides new clues in developing new multifunctional two-component supramolecular gel materials and exhibits potential applications for wastewater treatment.

New two-component supramolecular hydrogels were prepared via a self-assembly process, demonstrating potential applications in adsorption and catalysis as well as sensor materials.

Biocompatible hydrogelators based on bile acid ethyl amides

Four novel bile acid ethyl amides were synthetized using a well-known method. All the four compounds were characterized by IR, SEM, and X-ray crystal analyses. In addition, the cytotoxicity of the compounds was tested. Two of the prepared compounds formed organogels. Lithocholic acid derivative 1 formed hydrogels as 1% and 2% (w/v) in four different aqueous solutions. This is very intriguing regarding possible uses in biomedicine.