Retracted Article: Spatially resolved mechanical properties of photo-responsive azobenzene-based supramolecular gels?

RSC Advances Pub Date: 2017-05-19 DOI: 10.1039/C7RA03797J

Abstract

The viscoelastic and stiffness properties of azobenzene-based supramolecular gels have been investigated by rheometry and AFM. Interestingly, the viscoelastic properties of cis-isomers were 8–10 fold enhanced in comparison to the trans-isomer, which was a unique phenomenon. More interestingly, Young's modulus of gels increased linearly with time of UV irradiation. The stiffness of gels was finely controlled in the spatial micro-scale environment. The improved mechanical strength was attributed to electrostatic interaction with the production of radicals of the gelators.

Graphical abstract: Retracted Article: Spatially resolved mechanical properties of photo-responsive azobenzene-based supramolecular gels
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