Structural determination of organogelated gases as a function of temperature using SANS

Low Molecular Weight Organogelators (LMWOs) are small molecules which self-assemble in a solvent (oil) matrix to form supramolecular structures, yielding a gel. This has led to envisaged use in oil-spill clean-up/remediation. LMWOs self-assemble using intermolecular forces such as hydrogen bonding and van der Waals interactions, and to be successfully depolyed in oil, they either have to be dissolved in a carrier solvent or heated.This work seeks to characterise a new class of organogels; namely those with a liquefied gas solvent matrix. Using a new approach developed in the Bear group, we have overcome the need for a carrier solvent or heating, and have successfully gelled both liquefied propand and butane gas. This experiment will be the first meaningful data on this new class of material, and will inform further developments and give valuable insight into how such materials form.