Drying Affects the Fiber Network in Low Molecular Weight Hydrogels.
Laura L E Mears, Emily R Draper, Ana M Castilla, Hao Su, Bart Dietrich, Michael C Nolan, Gregory N Smith, James Doutch, Sarah Rogers, Riaz Akhtar, Honggang Cui, Dave J Adams
Author Information
Laura L E Mears: Department of Chemistry, University of Liverpool , Liverpool, L69 7ZD, United Kingdom. ORCID
Emily R Draper: Department of Chemistry, University of Liverpool , Liverpool, L69 7ZD, United Kingdom.
Ana M Castilla: Department of Chemistry, University of Liverpool , Liverpool, L69 7ZD, United Kingdom.
Hao Su: Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Whiting School of Engineering, Johns Hopkins University , 3400 North Charles Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21218, United States.
Zhuola: Department of Mechanical, Materials and Aerospace Engineering, School of Engineering, University of Liverpool , Liverpool L69 3GH, United Kingdom.
Bart Dietrich: Department of Chemistry, University of Liverpool , Liverpool, L69 7ZD, United Kingdom.
Michael C Nolan: Department of Chemistry, University of Liverpool , Liverpool, L69 7ZD, United Kingdom.
Gregory N Smith: Department of Chemistry, University of Sheffield , Brook Hill, Sheffield, S3 7HF, United Kingdom.
James Doutch: STFC ISIS Neutron and Muon Source, Science and Technology Facilities Council, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory , Harwell Oxford, Didcot, OX11 0QX, United Kingdom.
Sarah Rogers: STFC ISIS Neutron and Muon Source, Science and Technology Facilities Council, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory , Harwell Oxford, Didcot, OX11 0QX, United Kingdom.
Riaz Akhtar: Department of Mechanical, Materials and Aerospace Engineering, School of Engineering, University of Liverpool , Liverpool L69 3GH, United Kingdom.
Honggang Cui: Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Whiting School of Engineering, Johns Hopkins University , 3400 North Charles Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21218, United States. ORCID
Dave J Adams: Department of Chemistry, University of Liverpool , Liverpool, L69 7ZD, United Kingdom. ORCID
Low molecular weight gels are formed by the self-assembly of a suitable small molecule gelator into a three-dimensional network of fibrous structures. The gel properties are determined by the fiber structures, the number and type of cross-links and the distribution of the fibers and cross-links in space. Probing these structures and cross-links is difficult. Many reports rely on microscopy of dried gels (xerogels), where the solvent is removed prior to imaging. The assumption is made that this has little effect on the structures, but it is not clear that this assumption is always (or ever) valid. Here, we use small angle neutron scattering (SANS) to probe low molecular weight hydrogels formed by the self-assembly of dipeptides. We compare scattering data for wet and dried gels, as well as following the drying process. We show that the assumption that drying does not affect the network is not always correct.
References
Soft Matter. 2015 Oct 21;11(39):7739-47
[PMID: 26313637]
Angew Chem Int Ed Engl. 2016 Feb 24;55(9):3036-9
[PMID: 26804551]
