Vol.5 No.3 2012

46/94

Research paper−181−Synthesiology - English edition Vol.5 No.3 pp.181-189 (Dec. 2012) in Japan and overseas for the “functional gels” that are given various functions, and they are expected to be useful in advanced fields in the future. One example is the “functional gel” for which the importance is indicated as one of the core materials that support the environment, life science, and IT fields, as mentioned in the “Nanotechnology and Materials Research” in the “Technological Strategy Map 2010” edited by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI).[1] Moreover, in the “International Comparison of Science and Technology R&D in Nanotechnology and Material Field for 2011,” a report by the Center for Research and Development Strategy, Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST-CRDS), it is written that Japan excels in the field of soft materials (supramolecules) compared to other countries, 1 Background of researchAmong the diverse materials that support our daily life, the organic polymers that form the light and soft plastics belong to the generally called “soft materials.” Whereas the inorganic solids generally have hard and tough nature, soft materials are based on the flexible characteristic of organic materials. One of the soft materials called “gel” has an intermediary property between solid and liquid. It is used widely in society in various fields including the bio fields such as drugs and medicines due to its high biocompatibility, foods and cosmetics, and as viscosity regulators of several coating materials such as paints and inks (Fig. 1).In general, a gel is a quasi-solid material in which a large amount of liquid is trapped in a chemical or a physical network structure formed by relatively small amounts of coexisting materials, and then the apparent fluidity is lost. The hydrogel where the solvent water has become quasi-solid is represented by jelly and konjac starch that are foods, hyaluronic acid used in cosmetics, and absorbent polymers used in hygienic products. The widely known example of gels made of solvents other than water is the oil-fixing agent where the food oil, a kind of organic solvent, is quasi-solidified. Considering the gel in terms of its function as a material, in addition to its water-absorbing and moisture-retaining properties, there are other applications such as for absorption and separation, various sensing functions, anti-vibration and cushioning materials, and dynamic energy converting materials such as actuators.Active researches are being done in the academic field both - New development of functional soft-materials-We have recently developed novel gel-forming materials based on organic electrolytes. The organic electrolytes can be prepared by a simple one-pot reaction applicable to large-scale production. The materials show the following remarkable characteristics. (a) They can be used for gelation of not only water but also electrolyte solutions of polar organic solvents including ionic liquids. (b) Rapid self-healing of the formed gel is possible even after collapse by mechanical stress. (c) The formed gel can be used as an efficient dispersant for single-walled carbon nanotubes. The materials have been commercially distributed as chemical reagents for gelation.Novel functional gels and their commercial distribution as chemical reagentsKeywords : Gels, electrolyte, electrolyte solution, ionic liquids, chemical reagents[Translation from Synthesiology, Vol.5, No.3, p.171-178 (2012)]Masaru YoshidaNanosystem Research Institute, AIST Tsukuba Central 5, 1-1-1 Higashi, Tsukuba 305-8565, JapanE-mail: Original manuscript received February 7, 2012, Revisions received March 21, 2012, Accepted April 6, 2012Fig. 1 Various products in which gels are used

※このページを正しく表示するにはFlashPlayer9以上が必要です