Self-assembled gel tubes, filaments and 3D-printing with metal nanoparticle formation and enhanced stem cell growth.

This paper reports simple strategies to fabricate self-assembled artificial tubular and filamentous systems from a low molecular weight gelator (LMWG). In the first strategy, tubular 'core-shell' gel structures based on the dibenzylidenesorbitol-based LMWG DBS-CONHNH were made in combination with the polymer gelator (PG) calcium alginate. In the second approach, gel filaments based on DBS-CONHNH alone were prepared by wet spinning at elevated concentrations using a 'solvent-switch' approach.

Double diffusion for the programmable spatiotemporal patterning of multi-domain supramolecular gels.

To achieve spatial resolution of a multi-component gel, a double diffusion approach is used which enables the precise programming of self-assembled patterned domains with well-defined shapes and sizes. The low-molecular-weight gelators (LMWGs) used in this study are pH-responsive DBS-COH and thermally-responsive DBS-CONHNH (both based on 1,3:2,4-dibenzylidenesorbitol, DBS). A DBS-CONHNH gel was initially assembled in a tray, and then loaded at carefully-selected positions with either basified DBS-COH ( DBS-carboxylate) or an acid.

Spatial and temporal diffusion-control of dynamic multi-domain self-assembled gels.

The dynamic assembly of a pH-responsive low-molecular-weight gelator (LMWG) within the pre-formed matrix of a second LMWG has been achieved diffusion of an acid from a reservoir cut into the gel. Self-assembly of the acid-triggered LMWG as it converts from micellar aggregates at basic pH into gel nanofibers at lower pH values can be both spatially and temporally controlled. The pH-responsive LMWG has an impact on the stiffness of the pre-formed gel in the domains in which it assembles.

Self-assembled low-molecular-weight gelator injectable microgel beads for delivery of bioactive agents.

We report the preparation of hybrid self-assembled microgel beads by combining the low molecular weight gelator (LMWG) DBS-CONHNH and the natural polysaccharide calcium alginate polymer gelator (PG). Microgel formulations based on LMWGs are extremely rare due to the fragility of the self-assembled networks and the difficulty of retaining any imposed shape. Our hybrid beads contain interpenetrated LMWG and PG networks, and are obtained by an emulsion method, allowing the preparation of spherical gel particles of controllable sizes with diameters in the mm or μm range.