Department of Chemistry, and Concerted Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, Fudan University, 220 Handan Road, Shanghai 200433, China.
Chem Soc Rev. 2014 Aug 7;43(15):5346-71. doi: 10.1039/c4cs00066h.
In this review, we focus on the types of smart supramolecular gels whose self-assembly processes are affected or even triggered by physical forces including sonication and mechanical stress (mechanical force). The types of gels that are responsive to sonication and mechanical stress are examined and summarised. The gels exhibit non-covalent interactions among the gelator molecules and show dynamic and reversible properties controlled by the stimuli. Upon stimulation, the gelators cause instant and in situ gelation of organic solvents or water with different modes and outcomes of self-assembly. On the other hand, sonication and mechanical stress, as external factors, can give rise to dynamic changes in microscopic morphology, optical properties, etc. Certain thixotropic supramolecular gels exhibit perfect self-healing characteristics. The driving forces and the mechanism of the self-assembly process and the responsive outcome of morphological and spectroscopic changes are discussed. Those supramolecular gels responding to sonication and mechanical stress offer a wide range of applications in fields such as smart and adaptive materials, switches, drug control and release, and tissue engineering.
在这篇综述中，我们重点介绍了一些智能超分子凝胶，其自组装过程受到物理力（包括超声和机械力）的影响甚至触发。我们对响应超声和机械力的凝胶进行了研究和总结。这些凝胶中凝胶剂分子之间存在非共价相互作用，并表现出受刺激控制的动态和可逆性质。在刺激下，凝胶剂会导致有机溶剂或水的瞬时原位胶凝，其自组装模式和结果也不同。另一方面，超声和机械力作为外部因素，可以引起微观形态、光学性质等的动态变化。某些触变超分子凝胶表现出完美的自修复特性。我们讨论了自组装过程的驱动力和机制，以及形态和光谱变化响应的结果。那些响应超声和机械力的超分子凝胶在智能和自适应材料、开关、药物控制和释放以及组织工程等领域具有广泛的应用前景。
