Dissipative Acid-Fueled Reprogrammable Supramolecular Materials

Smart materials reversibly changing properties in response to a stimuli are promising for a broad array of applications. In this article, we report the use of trichloroacetic acid (TCA) as fuel to create new types of time-controlled materials switching reversibly from a gel to a solution (gel-sol-gel cycle). Applying various neutral amines as organogelators, TCA addition induces amine protonation, switching the system to a solution, while TCA gel decarboxylation over time enables a return to the initial gel state. Consequently, the newly obtained materials possess interesting time-dependent properties applied in the generation of remoldable objects, as an erasing ink, as chiroptical switches, or for the generation of new types of electrical systems.

Automated summary

This article reports the use of trichloroacetic acid (TCA) as fuel to create time-controlled materials that can reversibly switch between gel and solution states. These materials have interesting time-dependent properties and can be used in the generation of remoldable objects, erasing ink, chiroptical switches, and new types of electrical systems.