ja503363v_si_001.pdf (106.19 kB)
The Past, Present, and Future of Molecular Gels. What Is the Status of the Field, and Where Is It Going?
journal contribution
posted on 2014-05-28, 00:00 authored by Richard G. WeissA Perspective
is presented on the history and current understanding
of molecular gels and the factors that must be considered to characterize
them. The abilities of the most important structural, dynamic, and
rheological tools available currently to provide the information necessary
to follow the formation of a molecular gel from its initial sol phase
and then to define it at different distance and time scales are discussed.
Approaches to determining a priori when a molecule
will gelate a selected liquid, as well as possible methodologies for
overcoming current limitations in understanding molecular gels, are
presented. Finally, some of the many potential and realized applications
for these materials are enumerated.