Abstract
The thermal annealing behaviour of an electrolyte-triggered calixarene hydrogelator is found to depend strongly on the specific metal chloride used. While the lithium chloride gel showed typical gel-sol transitions as a function of temperature, the magnesium chloride gel was found to repeatedly strengthen with heat-cool cycles. Structural investigations using small-angle neutron scattering, and scanning probe microscopy, suggest that the annealing behaviour is associated with a change in morphology of the fibrous structures supporting the gel. On prolonged standing at room temperature, the magnesium chloride gel underwent a gel-crystal transition, with the collapsing gel accompanied by the deposition of crystals of a magnesium complex of the proline-functionalised calix[4]arene gelator.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 1006-1011 |
Number of pages | 6 |
Journal | Soft Matter |
Volume | 13 |
Issue number | 5 |
Early online date | 5 Jan 2017 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 7 Feb 2017 |