AN INSIGHT INTO FIBER–SOLVENT MEDIATED MODULATION OF NANO-FIBRILLAR ORGANOGELS

Abstract

The effect of gelation and the modulation of their properties with the variation of aliphatic hydrocarbon solvents, e.g., n-decane and n-dodecane have been presented for a homologous series of amides of L-alanine with fatty acids. The gelation properties of these compounds were studied by a number of physical methods including scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry, rheology etc. It was found that the gelation properties vary with the chain length of the host aliphatic hydrocarbons. Scanning electron microscopic images showed modulation of the fiber diameters upon changing the solvent from n-decane to n-dodecane and this has been confirmed by the results obtained from small angle X-ray scattering studies independently. Thermal properties were observed under the differential scanning calorimetric studies which showed an increase in the sol–gel transition temperatures upon increase in the chain length of the hydrocarbon solvent. The mechanical behavior of such assemblies has been observed under rheological experiments which showed a more viscoelastic response for the gels in n-decane compared to n-dodecane.