Biorefinery: a design tool for molecular gelators
George John1, Balachandran Vijai Shankar, Swapnil R Jadhav
1Department of Chemistry, The Graduate School and University Center of The City University of New York, The CUNY Institute for Macromolecular Assemblies (MMA), New York, New York 10031, USA. john@sci.ccny.cuny.edu
Langmuir : the ACS Journal of Surfaces and Colloids
|May 15, 2010
Summary
This review explores using biorefinery concepts to create novel molecular gels from natural sources. These sustainable materials show promise for applications in drug delivery and advanced material synthesis.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Supramolecular Chemistry
- Green Chemistry
Background:
- Molecular gels are versatile soft materials synthesized via bottom-up approaches.
- Biorefineries process biomass into chemicals and materials, similar to petroleum refineries.
- Developing sustainable gelators from renewable resources is a key research area.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the integration of biorefinery concepts for designing novel amphiphilic molecular gelators.
- To highlight the synthesis and properties of gels derived from natural feedstocks.
- To showcase potential applications of these bio-based gels.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of biorefinery applications in molecular gelator synthesis.
- Synthesis of amphiphiles from natural materials like amygdalin, vitamin C, cardanol, arjunolic acid, and trehalose.
- Characterization of hydrogels and organogels formed by these amphiphiles.
Main Results:
- Successful synthesis of amphiphiles from diverse natural sources using biocatalysis and chemical methods.
- Formation of tunable hydrogels and organogels with potential applications.
- Demonstration of gels for drug delivery and templated synthesis of hybrid materials.
Conclusions:
- Biorefinery approaches offer a sustainable pathway for creating functional molecular gels.
- Naturally derived amphiphiles can form sophisticated supramolecular structures.
- These bio-based gels hold significant potential for advanced applications in medicine and materials science.
