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Self‐Assembled Gels Formed in Deep Eutectic Solvents: Supramolecular Eutectogels with High Ionic Conductivity
Author(s) -
RuizOlles Jorge,
Slavik Petr,
Whitelaw Nicole K.,
Smith David K.
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
angewandte chemie international edition
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.831
H-Index - 550
eISSN - 1521-3773
pISSN - 1433-7851
DOI - 10.1002/anie.201810600
Subject(s) - eutectic system , differential scanning calorimetry , deep eutectic solvent , choline chloride , ionic liquid , chemical engineering , supramolecular chemistry , ionic bonding , ionic conductivity , electrolyte , materials science , phase (matter) , rheology , conductivity , chemistry , polymer chemistry , crystallography , molecule , organic chemistry , ion , microstructure , composite material , thermodynamics , physics , electrode , engineering , catalysis
1,3:2,4‐Dibenzylidene‐ d ‐sorbitol (DBS), a simple, commercially relevant compound, was found to self‐assemble as a result of intermolecular noncovalent interactions into supramolecular gels in deep eutectic solvents (DESs) based on choline chloride combined with alcohols/ureas. DBS formed gels at a loading of 5 % w/v. Rheology confirmed the gel‐like nature of the materials, electron microscopy and X‐ray diffraction indicated underpinning nanofibrillar DBS networks, and differential scanning calorimetry showed the DES nature of the liquid‐like phase was retained. The ionic conductivities of the gels were similar to those of the unmodified DESs, thus proving the deep eutectic nature of the ionic liquid‐like phase. Gelation was tolerant of ionic additives Li + , Mg 2+ , and Ca 2+ ; the resulting gels had similar conductivities to electrolyte dissolved in the native DES. The low‐molecular‐weight gelator DBS is thus a low‐cost additive that forms gels in DESs from readily available constituents, with conductivity levels suitable for practical applications.