Molecular gels are semi-solids, composed of a low concentration of a gelator (low molecular mass compound) and a liquid. The gelator molecule self-assemble via weak intermolecular interactions resulting in 3-dimensional fibrillar networks that encapsulate large amount of liquid. To understand the gel formation mechanism, it is necessary to know why the molecules aggregate at different distance scales and simply structured gelator molecules are important. Fatty acid metal salts are well studied molecules and have been shown to form gels. A systematic analysis of structure property comparison of molecular gels of simple alkanoic acids metal salts as low molecular mass gelators will be presented. 5 wt % of sodium stearate has been shown to gelate alcoholic solvents (ethanol, isopropanol and tert butanol), DMSO and water, whereas copper (II) stearate only gelate toluene. Correlations between the molecular structures of alkanoic acid metal salts and the properties of their gels, including critical gelator concentrations, periods of stability, and gel-sol transition temperatures will be presented.

Systematic study on the gelation properties of simple alkanoic acid metal salts as low molecular mass gelators

255th National Meeting (2018)

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