Issue 2, 2017

Aqueous interfacial gels assembled from small molecule supramolecular polymers

Abstract

The self-assembly of a stimuli-responsive aqueous supramolecular hyperbranched polymer from small molecules is reported. This system is composed of ditopic and tritopic guest-functionalised molecules that are able to form heteroternary supramolecular complexes with the macrocyclic host cucurbit[8]uril (CB[8]). We demonstrate that the supramolecular hyperbranched polymer formed is responsive to both photo- and chemical stimuli, exhibiting reversibility. Furthermore, this system is shown to assemble at liquid–liquid interfaces, which upon gelation, is observable on the micrometre scale. This self-healing supramolecular network can act as a soft matter barrier for aqueous microdroplets, inhibiting their coalescence.

Graphical abstract: Aqueous interfacial gels assembled from small molecule supramolecular polymers

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Edge Article
Submitted
13 sept. 2016
Accepted
07 oct. 2016
First published
11 oct. 2016
This article is Open Access

All publication charges for this article have been paid for by the Royal Society of Chemistry
Creative Commons BY-NC license

Chem. Sci., 2017,8, 1350-1355

Aqueous interfacial gels assembled from small molecule supramolecular polymers

A. S. Groombridge, A. Palma, R. M. Parker, C. Abell and O. A. Scherman, Chem. Sci., 2017, 8, 1350 DOI: 10.1039/C6SC04103E

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