Metallogels from a Glycolipid Biosurfactant

Low-molecular-weight (LMW) molecules of biological origin like microbial glycolipid biosurfactants can self-assemble in water, with a tunable structure by soft chemistry approach (pH, temperature, and ionic strength). The unique molecular glycolipids gives possible access to wide variety aqueous self-assembled structures, although highly unpredictable beforehand. presented here consists glucose group linked C18:1-cis fatty acid (G-C18:1) produced the fermentation Starmerella bombicola ΔugtB1. Due carboxylic acid, supramolecular self-assembly is pH dependent. In range 5–7, G-C18:1 forms vesicles, while above 7, it micellar phase. Adding metal salts (ion radius ascending order: Al3+, Fe3+, Ni2+, Mg2+, Cu2+, Zn2+, Co2+, Fe2+, Cr2+, Mn2+, Au3+, Ca2+, Ag+, Sr2+, Ba2+), vesicle phase generally precipitates. Metal complex speciation (Al3+, Fe2+) added drive formation wormlike gels, often observed for surfactants water. On contrary, free ions (Cr2+, Ag+) same unexpectedly hydrogels fibrillar structure, amphiphiles (peptides, peptide-derivatives) but not surfactants. Oscillatory rheology shows that elastic properties vary between few tens Pa up 5 kPa given glucolipid concentration (3 wt %). This work hence first example preparing metallogels from