Issue 2, 2014

Insights into low molecular mass organic gelators: a focus on drug delivery and tissue engineering applications

Abstract

In recent years low molecular mass organic gelators (LMOGs) have gained increasing interest as an alternative biomaterial to polymer derived gels, with potential applications in drug delivery and tissue engineering. LMOGs are small organic molecules which self-assemble in water or organic solvents forming a 3D network that entraps the liquid phase resulting in gel formation. In this review, we report the classification of LMOGs into hydrogelators and gelators of organic solvents and we discuss the techniques commonly used to characterise the gels of these gelators with particular reference to specific applications of LMOGs in drug delivery and tissue engineering.

Graphical abstract: Insights into low molecular mass organic gelators: a focus on drug delivery and tissue engineering applications

Article information

Article type
Review Article
Submitted
22 Aug 2013
Accepted
11 Oct 2013
First published
05 Nov 2013

Soft Matter, 2014,10, 237-256

Insights into low molecular mass organic gelators: a focus on drug delivery and tissue engineering applications

K. J. Skilling, F. Citossi, T. D. Bradshaw, M. Ashford, B. Kellam and M. Marlow, Soft Matter, 2014, 10, 237 DOI: 10.1039/C3SM52244J

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