Soft Nanocomposites of Nanoparticles and Nanocarbons with Supramolecular and Polymer Gels and Their Applications.
Gel nanocomposites are rapidly emerging functional advanced materials having widespread applications in materials and biological sciences. Herein, we review syntheses, properties, and applications of various gel nanocomposites assembled from different metal based nanoparticles or nanocarbons [fullerene, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and graphenes] with tailor made supramolecular (small molecular) or polymeric physical organogels and hydrogels. Dynamic supramolecular self assembly of gelators prove to be excellent hosts for the incorporation of these dimensionally different nanomaterials. Thus, gel nanocomposites doped with preformed/in situ synthesized nanoparticles show magnetic or near infrared responsive, catalytic or antibacterial properties. Fullerene based gel nanocomposites show applications in organic solar cells. Gel nanocomposites based on CNTs and graphenes and their functionalized (covalent/noncovalent) analogues find interesting properties including electrical conductivity, viscoelasticity, thermal robustness, magnetic, phase selective, redox and near infrared radiation sensitive properties. We present appropriate rationale to explain most of these phenomena at the molecular level, which provide useful perspectives for future designs and new spin offs. Finally, a possible outlook is projected for the design and syntheses of next generation multifunctional gel nanocomposites, which could be achieved by increasing the complexity of the system upon adding selective nanomaterials with desired properties in a multicomponent mixture following a de novo design in order to take advantage of their individual properties.
Chemical reviews