Self-Assembling Fibrillar Networks-Supramolecular Gels

Abstract

Self-assembled fibrillar gels have developed into an important class of supramolecular nanomaterial in which molecular-scale building blocks hierarchically assemble into nanostructured systems with intriguing macroscopic properties. This chapter provides an overview of supramolecular gels, placing them clearly in a historical context and explaining how they can be investigated experimentally. This chapter then explores how key principles of molecular recognition and self-assembly can be used to rationalize and predict their behavior. Different classes of gelator are explored in terms of the structures of the molecular-scale building blocks. Finally, the chapter focuses on the unique features of gel-phase materials, and the way in which they can be exploited to develop a wide range of new applications—from oil-spill remediation and artwork conservation to nanoscale electronics and tissue engineering.