Supramolecular nanotube-based fiber mats by self-assembly of a tailored amphiphilic low molecular weight hydrogelator

The amide-group containing amphiphile 4-N-octanoyl-aminobenzoic acid sodium salt is able to thermoreversibly form supramolecular hydrogels in aqueous solutions of alkanine sodium salts. The supramolecular assemblies can be transferred without destruction by a mold-casting/drying process into self-supporting macroscopic supramolecular nanofiber mats. These mats are thermally and mechanically stable, resistant to a large variety of organic solvents and therefore interesting for potential applications such as templating of inorganic materials and filtration. The nanotubular multi-walled morphology of the underlying supramolecular assemblies was revealed using field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray scattering (XRD) and Fourier-Transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR).