An Amino‐Acid‐Based Self‐Healing Hydrogel: Modulation of the Self‐Healing Properties by Incorporating Carbon‐Based Nanomaterials

Abstract

An amino-acid-based (11-(4-(pyrene-1-yl)butanamido)undecanoic acid) self-repairing hydrogel is reported. The native hydrogel, as well as hybrid hydrogels, have been thoroughly characterized by using various microscopic techniques, including transmission electron microscopy (TEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), Raman spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy, FTIR spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and by using rheological experiments. The native hydrogel exhibited interesting fluorescence properties, as well as a self-healing property. Interestingly, the self-healing, thixotropy, and stiffness of the native hydrogel can be successfully modulated by incorporating carbon-based nanomaterials, including graphene, pristine single-walled carbon nanotubes (Pr-SWCNTs), and both graphene and Pr-SWCNTs, within the native gel system. The self-recovery time of the gel was shortened by the inclusion of reduced graphene oxide (RGO), Pr-SWCNTs, or both RGO and Pr-SWCNTs. Moreover, hybrid gels that contained RGO and/or Pr-SWCNTs exhibited interesting semiconducting behavior.

Insights into the Formation and Structures of Molecular Gels by Diimidazolium Salt Gelators in Ionic Liquids or “Normal” Solvents

“…However,a ll neat gelators show diffraction peaks that are consistent with (but not unique to) the presenceo fh ydrogen bonding: 2q = 20.00 8 (4.43 ), 20 [43] Also, adiffraction peak from [p-C 12 im] 3 [Cit] 2 at 2 q = 25.08 8 (3.63 ) may be due to p-p stacking. However,a ll neat gelators show diffraction peaks that are consistent with (but not unique to) the presenceo fh ydrogen bonding: 2q = 20.00 8 (4.43 ), 20 [43] Also, adiffraction peak from [p-C 12 im] 3 [Cit] 2 at 2 q = 25.08 8 (3.63 ) may be due to p-p stacking.…”

Self-assembly of guanosine and deoxy-guanosine into hydrogels: monovalent cation guided modulation of gelation, morphology and self-healing properties

“…However, the modulation of the self-healing property of gels is a demanding task. 52,54 In this study, we report nucleoside based hydrogels showing metal ion dependent self-healing properties which is unprecedented. The use of metal ions in making supramolecular gels 50,55,59-70 is a potent approach with unusual properties and most of the reported metallogels lack a deeper insight into the ne-tuning of gel properties by using different metal ions.…”

Hybrid materials of 1D and 2D carbon allotropes and synthetic π-systems

“…CNTs have excellent chemical, mechanical, and electronic properties that make them promising for various applications. The noncovalent functionalization of CNTs with aromatic molecules and π-conjugated polymers has been extensively investigated [11][12][13][14][55][56][57][58][59][60][61][62] . The surface modification of CNTs through noncovalent interactions improves their dispersion and solution processability, rendering them suitable for device applications.…”