Nanoscale Probing of the Supramolecular Assembly in a Two-Component Gel by Near-Field Infrared Spectroscopy

The design of soft biomaterials requires a deep understanding of molecular self-assembly. Here a nanoscale infrared (IR) spectroscopy study of a two-component supramolecular gel is introduced to assess the system's heterogeneity and supramolecular assembly. In contrast to far-field IR spectroscopy, near-field IR spectroscopy revealed differences in the secondary structures of the gelator molecules and non-covalent interactions at three distinct nano-locations of the gel network. A β-sheet arrangement is dominant in single and parallel fibres with a small proportion of an α-helix present, while the molecular assembly derives from strong hydrogen bonding. However, at the crossing point of two fibres, only the β-sheet motif is observed, with an intense π-π stacking contribution. Near-field nanospectroscopy can become a powerful tool for the nanoscale distinction of non-covalent interactions, while it is expected to advance the existing spectroscopic assessments of supramolecular gels.