A natural food-grade supramolecular self-assembly system for creation of hierarchically structured hydrogels
Xinke Yu, Jiyang Cai, Mengyue Xu, Qing Li, Yunyi Yang, Zhili Wan, Xiaoquan Yang
Abstract
We develop a novel hierarchically structured hydrogel by the supramolecular self-assembly of all-natural food-grade building blocks, glycyrrhizic acid (GA) and carrageenan (CG). The co-assembled GA-CG hydrogel system displays an unusual structural transition with the appearance from opacity to translucence and then to opacity, as a function of the concentration of metal ions. The unique GA-CG supramolecular hydrogel system can serve as solid, edible, and responsive active cargo delivery platforms for food and biomedical applications.
Topics & Concepts
Self-healing hydrogelsSupramolecular chemistryNanotechnologySelf-assemblyMaterials scienceSupramolecular assemblyNatural (archaeology)ChemistryPolymer chemistryBiologyOrganic chemistryMoleculePaleontologySupramolecular Self-Assembly in MaterialsHydrogels: synthesis, properties, applicationsSilk-based biomaterials and applications