Low-molecular-weight organic gels (LMOGs) are made of small organic molecules that trap organic or aqueous solvents. In recent years, the study of gels, especially those composed of amphiphilic molecules, has attracted attention because of their wide-ranging applications.

Sodium carboxylate was reported to form gels in water, organic solvents, and ionic liquids, but the mechanism remains unknown. To explore the mechanism of gel formation, researchers of Shandong University and Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics (LICP) of the CAS have prepared SL gels in organic solvents.

Results show that gel formation can happen only in alcohols. Na+ ions that can induce the transition from spherical micelles to crystalline cylindrical micelles play an important role in the formation of SL gels. Other ions would destroy the formation of nanofibers. The structures of fibers were obtained, the nanofibers of which are like cylindrical micelles but with crystallization on the surface. The nanofibers have a quadrate arrangement in the cross section.

It is hoped that the study can contribute to the cognition of crystallization gels.

The work has received support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China, National Basic Research Program of China and NFS of Shandong Province. The detailed report has been published in Langmuir (Langmuir 2011, 27(5), 1713–1717).

Langmuir Paper