Low molecular weight gels are formed by the self-assembly of small molecules into anisotropic structures that form a network capable of immobilizing the solvent. Such gels are common, with a huge ...number of different examples existing, and they have many applications. However, there are still significant gaps in our understanding of these systems and challenges that need to be addressed if we are to be able to fully design such systems. Here, a number of these challenges are discussed.
Low-molecular-weight gels are formed by the self-assembly of small molecules into fibrous networks that can immobilize a significant amount of solvent. Here, we focus on our work with a specific ...class of gelator, the functionalized dipeptide. We discuss the current state of the art in the area, focusing on how these materials can be controlled. We also highlight interesting and unusual observations and unanswered questions in the field.
There is a real need for new antibiotics against self‐evolving bacteria. One option is to use biofriendly broad‐spectrum and mechanically tunable antimicrobial hydrogels that can combat ...multidrug‐resistant microbes. Whilst appealing, there are currently limited options. Herein, broad‐spectrum antimicrobial biometallohydrogels based on the self‐assembly and local mineralization of Ag+‐coordinated Fmoc‐amino acids are reported. Such biometallohydrogels have the advantages of localized delivery and sustained release, reduced drug dosage and toxicity yet improved bioavailability, prolonged drug effect, and tunable mechanical strength. Furthermore, they can directly interact with the cell walls and membrane, resulting in the detachment of the plasma membrane and leakage of the cytoplasm. This leads to cell death, triggering a significant antibacterial effect against both Gram‐negative (Escherichia coli) and Gram‐positive (Staphylococcus aureus) bacteria in cells and mice. This study paves the way for developing a multifunctional integration platform based on simple biomolecules coordinated self‐assembly toward a broad range of biomedical applications.
Broad‐spectrum antimicrobial biometallohydrogels based on Ag+‐coordinated Fmoc‐amino acids self‐assembly and local mineralization are presented. These biometallohydrogels have the advantages of reduced drug dosage and toxicity yet improved bioavailability, prolonged drug effect, and tunable mechanical strength. This study provides insights into the design and development of a multifunctional integration platform based on biomolecules coordinated self‐assembly toward a broad range of biomedical applications.
Dipeptide and tripeptide conjugates are receiving significant current interest as LMWG, driven by the accessibility of these materials, their relatively low cost and also the large number of examples ...that successfully form hydrogels. Their behaviour can easily modified by changes in the amino acids or the aromatic end groups chosen. The assembly process has been relatively well described for a small subset of these gelators, giving a good idea of the behaviour of these molecules and allowing an understanding of the conditions under which assembly will occur. Here, we critically review the literature in this area and consider the importance of gelator choice and method of assembly on the outcome of the gelation. We also discuss the applications of these hydrogels.
Hydrogels can be prepared by the triggered self‐assembly of dipeptide or tripeptide conjugates. Typically, the conjugates are di‐ or tripeptides functionalised at the N‐terminus with a Fmoc, naphthalene or pyrene moiety. Recent progress in the understanding of the design of these gelators as well as their applications is discussed.
Hydrogels can be formed by the self-assembly of certain small molecules in water. Self-assembly occurs via non-covalent interactions. The self-assembly leads to the formation of fibrous structures ...which form the matrix of the gel. The mechanical properties of the gels arise from the properties of the fibres themselves (thickness, persistence length etc.), the number and type of cross-links and also how the fibres are distributed in space (the microstructure). We discuss here the effect of assembling the molecules under different conditions, i.e. the self-assembly process. There is sufficient literature showing that how the molecules are assembled can have a significant effect on the properties of the resulting gels.
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