A versatile supramolecular hydrogel of nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA) for binding metal ions and magnetorheological response

Here we report a novel supramolecular hydrogelator, which contains a nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA) motif, to form a magnetorheological hydrogel upon interacting with nickel particles or holmium ions or to afford a hydrogel as an efficient absorber of metal ions.