Linking micellar structures to hydrogelation for salt-triggered dipeptide gelators

Cardoso, A. Z., Mears, L. L.E., Cattoz, B. N., Griffiths, P. C., Schweins, R. and Adams, D. J. (2016) Linking micellar structures to hydrogelation for salt-triggered dipeptide gelators. Soft Matter, 12(15), pp. 3612-3621. (doi: 10.1039/c5sm03072b) (PMID:26963370)

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Abstract

Some functionalised dipeptides can form hydrogels when salts are added to solutions at high pH. We have used surface tension, conductivity, rheology, optical, confocal and scanning electron microscopy, 1H NMR and UV-Vis spectroscopy measurements to characterise fully the phase behaviour of solutions of one specific gelator, 2NapFF, at 25 °C at pH 10.5. We show that this specific naphthalene–dipeptide undergoes structural transformations as the concentration is increased, initially forming spherical micelles, then worm-like micelles, followed by association of these worm-like micelles. On addition of a calcium salt, gels are generally formed as long as worm-like micelles are initially present in solution, although there are structural re-organisations that occur at lower concentrations, allowing gelation at lower than expected concentration. Using IR and SANS, we show the differences between the structures present in the solution and hydrogel phases.

Item Type:Articles
Additional Information:AZC thanks the University of Liverpool for funding. DA thanks the EPSRC for a Fellowship (EP/L021978/1). The experiment at the Institut Laue Langevin was allocated beam time under experiment number 9-10-1304. This work benefitted from the SasView software, originally developed by the DANSE project under NSF award DMR-0520547.
Status:Published
Refereed:Yes
Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID:Adams, Dave
Authors: Cardoso, A. Z., Mears, L. L.E., Cattoz, B. N., Griffiths, P. C., Schweins, R., and Adams, D. J.
College/School:College of Science and Engineering > School of Chemistry
Journal Name:Soft Matter
Publisher:Royal Society of Chemistry
ISSN:1744-683X
ISSN (Online):1744-6848
Published Online:04 March 2016
Copyright Holders:Copyright © 2016 The Royal Society of Chemistry
First Published:First published in Soft Matter 12(15): 3612-3621
Publisher Policy:Reproduced unnder a Creative Commons license

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