Executive Summary : | Molecular self-assembly is a process where low molecular building blocks associate into ordered architectures through supramolecular interactions. Bioinspired molecules like amino acids, peptides, nucleosides, steroids, and polyphenols can form self-assembled nanostructures, resulting in supramolecular hydrogels. These hydrogels have potential applications in drug delivery, tissue engineering, and pollutant capture due to their stimuli-responsive properties, intrinsic biocompatibility, porous architecture, and soft nature. However, their practical applications are limited due to their weak mechanical stability and limited functional aptitude.
This study aims to improve the mechanical properties and functional diversities of bioinspired pristine hydrogels by combining them with conductive polymers, biopolymers, synthetic polymers, and other small molecular building blocks or nanomaterials. De novo bioinspired molecules based on folic acid will be designed and synthesized, and the pristine hydrogels/ assemblies will be prepared using solvent-switch and heating-cooling techniques. The self-assembly mechanism will be investigated, and the co-assembled hydrogels will be compared to the pristine gels. The improvement in mechanical properties will be characterized by rheology, and the micro/nanostructure of the hydrogels will be investigated using microscopic techniques. The hybrid gels containing nanomaterials will function as heterogenous catalysts for multiple reactions, while the porous nature of the hydrogels with covalent polymers will be used to scavenge dyes and heavy metal ions. The stimuli-responsive nature of the hydrogels will be utilized for drug delivery applications. |