The importance of the self-assembly process to control mechanical properties of low molecular weight hydrogels

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The importance of the self-assembly process to control mechanical properties of low molecular weight hydrogels

Jaclyn Raeburn,^a Andre Zamith Cardoso^a and Dave J. Adams*^a

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* Corresponding authors

^a University of Liverpool – Department of Chemistry, Crown Street, Liverpool L69 7ZD, UK
E-mail: D.J.Adams@liverpool.ac.uk

Abstract

Hydrogels can be formed by the self-assembly of certain small molecules in water. Self-assembly occurs via non-covalent interactions. The self-assembly leads to the formation of fibrous structures which form the matrix of the gel. The mechanical properties of the gels arise from the properties of the fibres themselves (thickness, persistence length etc.), the number and type of cross-links and also how the fibres are distributed in space (the microstructure). We discuss here the effect of assembling the molecules under different conditions, i.e. the self-assembly process. There is sufficient literature showing that how the molecules are assembled can have a significant effect on the properties of the resulting gels.

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Article information

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1039/C3CS60030K
Article type: Tutorial Review
Submitted: 28 Jan 2013
First published: 09 Apr 2013

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Chem. Soc. Rev., 2013,42, 5143-5156

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