Engineering of Small-Molecule Gels Based on the Thermodynamics and Kinetics of Fiber Formation - Soft Fibrillar Materials: Fabrication and Applications - page 109

2.6
Conclusions

It was demonstrated in this chapter that fiber network formation in SMGs is
thermodynamically controlled by a nucleation and growth mechanism. On the
basis of this mechanism, the dynamics and kinetics of fiber nucleation and
growth can be controlled through tuning the thermodynamic driving force or
using suitable additives. This enables the micro/nanometer scale control of fiber
formation, leading to the production of materials with tunable fiber network
structure and macroscopic properties. Interestingly, when the network formation
is confined in a limited space, the significance of thermodynamic driving force is
reduced. Gels with homogeneous and tenable fiber network size can be obtained
in this case. The volume confinement effect is a subject of interest for further
investigation.

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