Dendritic gelators

Dendritic molecules fall somewhere between small-molecule organic systems and polymers. Like polymers, they are constructed from a repeating motif, often have nanoscopic dimensions, and are capable of forming multiple non-covalent interactions. However, they are synthesized using organic chemistry methods and, unlike polymers, have well-defined, discrete structures which can be precisely controlled. This combination of properties makes dendritic molecules of particular interest for application in the assembly of gel-phase materials. In particular, this review focusses on the way in which molecular-scale information, put into place using organic synthesis, is transcribed up to the nanoscale, as visualised by electron microscopy techniques. Furthermore, it is illustrated that the molecular and nanoscale structures have a direct impact on the macroscopic materials properties of the gel-phase network. We discuss the structural effects on macroscopic gelation in terms of molecular size, shape and chirality, and clearly outline the specific advantages of using dendritic structures for this type of soft materials application.