Solvent-Directed Assembly and Rheological Dynamics of Multistimuli-Responsive Mg(II) and Cu(II) Metallosupramolecular Flexible Nanoscaffolds for Biological Applications

Abstract

Mg(II) and Cu(II) sources with decanedioic acid (DDA) were utilized for the preparation of diverse mechanically flexible self-repairing supramolecular metallogels, abbreviated as Mg-DMSO-DDA-DMSO, Mg-DMSO-DDA-DMF, and Cu-water-DDA-DMSO. The strategy of employing a low-molecular-weight gelator-guided supramolecular metallogel formation pathway has been executed. Diverse polar aprotic (such as DMSO and DMF) and protic (such as water) solvent media with pure and mixed polar environments are implemented for the formation of diverse metallogels. The diversity of mechanical flexibility with the exploration of rheoreversible properties with respect to the involvement of metal resources such as Mg(II) and Cu(II)-based systems along with gel-immobilized solvent media has been studied. The role of different metallogel-forming ingredients toward the networks of diverse metallogels was inspected through FESEM microscopy. The role of gel-forming elements was also explored through EDX elemental analyses. Stimuli-sensitive features, i.e., the influences of external impacts covering mechanical shaking, heating, chemical, and light sensitivity on diverse metallogels, have been critically studied. The metallogel-forming mechanistic pathways are also judged through the application of FT-IR-based experiments with gel states of different metallogels. The gel formation pathways for individual metallogels are also studied through the involvement of ESI-Mass-directed experimental protocols. Metallogels have also been characterized through powder X-ray diffraction studies, thermogravimetric analyses, UV–Vis spectral analyses, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) studies. Besides, the bioapplications of these metallogels are also studied using diverse pathogenic strains (i.e., two Gram-positive species (Listeria monocytogenes and Bacillus cereus) and two Gram-negative species (Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium). Thus, this work will be an illustration of successfully achieving mechanically flexible self-repairing soft matter for potential biological uses.