Structure of Multicomponent Gelators: Effect of Dynamic Covalent Chemistry

Supramolecular gels form via the self-assembly of low molecular weight gelators (LMWGs) into complex, hierarchical structures. Here we propose a SANS study of our multicomponent gels prepared using two or more different gelators. Our group has used rheology, NMR and SEM to characterise these gels. These techniques, while useful, lack the necessary microscopic insight to relate chemical changes to structure and macroscopic behaviour. The SANS experiment aims to further our understanding of multicomponent gels through characterisation of primary fibre structures. By exploiting contrast variation we study the self-assembly mechanism. We also compare two distinct synthetic routes to prove our hypothesis of a co-assembly mechanism. By measuring SANS intensities in both the solution and gel phase we hope to learn more about the assembly process, which is currently poorly understood.