Morphological transformation between three-dimensional gel network and spherical vesicles via sonication

A novel low weight molecular gelator was designed and synthesized which can gelate several polar solvents with different morphologies. It is interesting that it exchanges morphology between a three-dimensional gel network and vesicles in ethanol via treatment with ultrasound and a heating-cooling process, through supramolecular self-assembly in a certain concentration range. The mechanism of the self-assembly process was investigated by IR, X-ray diffraction and rheological experiments. The results show that the gelator molecules self-assemble in a parallel manner into a lamella structure and the lamellas further aggregate into a gel network or vesicles at room temperature with or without the ultrasonic stimulation.