Thermo-switchable de novo ionogel as metal absorbing and curcumin loaded smart bandage material

Abstract Inspired by the limitations of polymeric gels, conceptualizing low molecular weight gelator to form hydrogel that changes its properties as well applications through external stimuli of choice have attracted the attention of scientific community in recent times. Herein we had designed long alkyl chain containing ester functionalized ionic liquid, 3-methyl-1-(hexadecyloxycarbonylmethyl)imidazolium bromide (C16EMeImBr) that through self-assembling in water forms ionogel at 8.80% (w/v) critical gelation concentration and physiological pH. Ionogel, physically appeared as opaque at 25 °C, transformed into transparent at ~50 °C temperature and was characterized for the microstructural arrangement through small angle neutron scattering (SANS) and small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) techniques. The gel formation ability of the C16EMeImBr was investigated in various solvents, in their neat form as well as solvent-water composition mixture. The fibrillar opaque ionogel have been studied for their metal (cobalt and copper) absorbing properties. Curcumin loaded ionogel was used to fabricate compact cotton patch to open the new avenues in non-woven bandage material that can work on infected wounds. The structural configuration of the curcumin-based ionogel was further investigated through molecular dynamic simulation.