Heat-set gels formed from easily accessible gelators of a succinamic acid derivative (SAD) and a primary alkyl amine (R-NH2)

Soft Matter. 2015 Aug 28;11(32):6386-92. doi: 10.1039/c5sm01305d. Epub 2015 Jun 29.

Abstract

Currently, the design and construction of an intelligent stimuli-responsive gel system is still a significant challenge. We present here a new gel system from which the formation of heat-set gels, conventional gels and irreversible heat-set gels can be achieved in aromatic solvents. This gel system is based on two-component gelators containing a succinamic acid derivative (SAD) and a primary alkyl amine (R-NH2). With the increase of temperature to 85 °C, a rarely reported reversible heat-set gel (gel formation with the increase of temperature) is afforded. Upon addition of fatty acids into two-component gelators, a conventional gel (gel formation with the decrease of temperature) is formed. When the fatty acid is replaced with dicarboxylic acid, a new heat-set gel is generated, which is irreversible and thermally super-stable. X-ray diffraction analysis reveals that the formation of a reversible heat-set gel relies on electrostatic interactions, hydrogen bonds, and hydrophobic interactions. These two-component gelators show a perfect gel system for the formation of diverse gels including heat-set gels, conventional gels and irreversible heat-set gels. The tunable strategy demonstrated in this letter may provide a new way for creation of more functional gels in gel science.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amines / chemistry*
  • Carboxylic Acids / chemistry
  • Fatty Acids / chemistry
  • Gels / chemistry*
  • Hydrogen Bonding
  • Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions
  • Static Electricity
  • Succinates / chemistry*
  • Temperature

Substances

  • Amines
  • Carboxylic Acids
  • Fatty Acids
  • Gels
  • Succinates