Control over the Formation of Supramolecular Material Objects Using Reaction-Diffusion

Controlled diffusion, reaction and assembly of hydrogelator precursors can be used to create soft hydrogel objects of defined shape and size. In this study we show that controlling local reaction kinetics by means of pH, diffusion length and the concentrations of reactants allows control over the dimensions of formed supramolecular structures....

Free-standing supramolecular hydrogel objects by reaction-diffusion

Self-assembly provides access to a variety of molecular materials, yet spatial control over structure formation remains difficult to achieve. Here we show how reaction-diffusion (RD) can be coupled to a molecular self-assembly process to generate macroscopic free-standing objects with control over shape, size, and functionality. In RD, two or...

Dissipative self-assembly: A novel self-healing mechanism for functional materials

Self-assembled systems formed of micelles or vesicles have frequently been discussed as model systems for self-healing materials because their structure is dictated by thermodynamics and hence they quickly restore upon perturbation. In this aspect, they mimic many natural systems such as biological cells. However, in contrast to most synthetic...