Reversible photodissipation of composite photochromic azobenzene-alginate supramolecular hydrogels

Autor: Leistner, Anna-Lena, Kistner, David Georg, Fengler, Christian, Pianowski, Zbigniew L.
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2022
Předmět:
Zdroj: RSC Advances, 12 (8), 4771–4776
ISSN: 2046-2069
DOI: 10.5445/ir/1000143227
Popis: Supramolecular smart materials can quickly elicit macroscopic changes upon external stimulation. Here we report that an azobenzene-containing cyclic dipeptide can form composite supramolecular hydrogels with alginate based on the charge complementarity, at lower loading than the critical gelation concentrations of either component. The gels can reversibly dissipate to fluids with UV light. They can also encapsulate and photorelease fluorescent cargo. Upon treatment of the gels with aqueous calcium salts, the alginate component is permanently cross-linked and the photochromic component is solubilized.
Databáze: OpenAIRE