Enhanced Mechanical and Helical Properties with Achiral Calix[4]arene in a Co‐Assembled Hydrogel with a Helical Structure

A mixture of the building blocks 1A and 2G , featuring d ‐alanine moieties and glycine‐functionalized calix[4]arene moieties, respectively, formed a co‐assembled hydrogel. In particular, the remarkable enhancement of helical intensity of co‐assembled gel was controlled by achiral calix[4]arene 2G , which was attributed to the bridging effect between 1A and 2G , similar to a helical structure. Furthermore, the improvement of the mechanical strength (G′ and G ′′ values) of the co‐assembled hydrogel prepared with 1.0 equivalent of 2G were around 7000 % and 4400 % stronger, respectively, compared to the gel prepared from the 0.25 equivalents of 2G . The improved mechanical strength was attributed to the formation of a network structure with a H‐bonding interaction between 1A and 2G . The results indicate that the enhanced helical and mechanical strength of the co‐assembled gel could be controlled by achiral component 2G .