Gelling factor and its preparation method and application

Abstract

The application discloses a gel factor and a preparation method and application thereof. A structural formula of the gel factor is shown in the following formula: wherein R1 is a side chain group except for an amino group, a carboxyl group and one hydrogen atom connected to a central carbon atom of an amino acid, and the amino acid is selected from one of glycine, alanine, valine, leucine, isoleucine, methionine, proline, tryptophan, serine, tyrosine, cysteine, phenylalanine, asparagine, glutamine, threonine, aspartic acid, glutamic acid, lysine, arginine, histidine and selenocysteine; R2 is an alkyl group with 16-19 carbon atoms; and R3 is a 9-fluorenylmethyloxy carbonyl group or a tert-butyloxy carbonyl group. The gel factor has a hydrophobic long alkyl tail chain, can spontaneously aggregate and assemble into a three-dimensional network structure through hydrogen bonds, pi-pi interaction and hydrophobic force, and can effectively fix oil solvents or oil phases in oil-water mixtures to form a high-strength gel.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of functional materials technology, and in particular to a gelling factor, its preparation method, and its application. Background Technology

[0002] Oil spills during oil extraction and transportation are a significant source of marine pollution, severely impacting marine life and the environment. Therefore, obtaining efficient oil-water separation materials that meet production requirements has become a critical issue that urgently needs to be addressed. To date, conventional methods such as mechanical collection, combustion, the use of adsorbents and chemical dispersants, and biological removal have been developed for oil spill treatment in industrial processes. However, these methods typically suffer from drawbacks such as poor recyclability, complex synthesis, and high costs, limiting their practical application.

[0003] In recent years, with the development of phase-selective organic gelling agents, gel materials suitable for oil-water separation have emerged. However, existing small-molecule gelling agents often suffer from drawbacks such as excessively high gelation concentrations and low mechanical strength of the resulting organic gels. These drawbacks are detrimental to oil storage and transportation, and can easily lead to oil leakage, diffusion, and volatilization, thus lacking the potential to serve as oil-absorbing materials.

[0004] Therefore, existing technologies still need to be improved and developed. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of the shortcomings of the prior art, the purpose of this invention is to provide a gelling factor, its preparation method and application, in order to solve the problems of excessively high gel concentration, low mechanical strength of the formed organic gel, and lack of potential as an oil-absorbing material in existing small molecule gelling factors.

[0006] The technical solution of the present invention is as follows:

[0007] In a first aspect, the present invention provides a gelling factor, wherein the structural formula of the gelling factor is:

[0008]

[0009] Wherein, R1 is a side chain group attached to the central carbon atom of an amino acid, excluding the amino group, carboxyl group, and one hydrogen atom, and the amino acid is selected from one of glycine, alanine, valine, leucine, isoleucine, methionine, proline, tryptophan, serine, tyrosine, cysteine, phenylalanine, asparagine, glutamine, threonine, aspartic acid, glutamic acid, lysine, arginine, histidine, selenocysteine, and pyrrolidone.

[0010] R2 is an alkyl group having 16 to 19 carbon atoms;

[0011] R3 is 9-fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl or tert-butyloxycarbonyl.

[0012] A second aspect of the present invention provides a method for preparing the gelling factor as described above, comprising the following steps:

[0013] supply R2-NH2;

[0014] Will R2-NH2, 1-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-3-ethylcarbodiimide hydrochloric acid, 1-hydroxybenzotriazole, and an organic solvent were mixed and stirred to obtain the crude product.

[0015] The crude product was purified to obtain the gelling factor.

[0016] Optionally, the organic solvent includes at least one selected from dichloromethane, toluene, n-hexane, and n-octane.

[0017] Optionally, the stirring reaction is carried out under the following conditions: stirring reaction at room temperature for 3 to 7 days.

[0018] Optionally, the step of purifying the crude product to obtain the gelling factor specifically includes:

[0019] The crude product was washed with a mixture of ethanol and water, then recrystallized with ethyl acetate and dried to obtain the gelling agent.

[0020] A third aspect of the present invention provides the application of the gelling factor of the present invention as described above and / or the gelling factor prepared by the preparation method of the present invention as described above as an oil-absorbing material.

[0021] A fourth aspect of the present invention provides the application of the gelling factor of the present invention as described above and / or the gelling factor prepared by the preparation method of the present invention as described above in the field of oil-water separation.

[0022] Optionally, the gelling agent achieves oil-water separation by forming a gel with the oil.

[0023] Optionally, the oil includes at least one of diesel, kerosene, gasoline, and engine oil.

[0024] In a fifth aspect, the present invention provides a gel comprising a gelling agent and an oil solvent, wherein the gelling agent is a gelling agent as described above and / or a gelling agent prepared by the preparation method described above.

[0025] Beneficial Effects: This invention provides an amino acid derivative-based gelling factor with non-toxic, environmentally friendly structure and excellent gelling properties through structural design of amino acid molecules. The gelling factor has hydrophobic long alkyl tail chains, enabling it to spontaneously aggregate in oil solvents or oil-water mixtures at low gelling concentrations via a bottom-up self-assembly strategy through hydrogen bonding, π-π interactions, and hydrophobic forces. It then forms nanofibers through physical cross-linking, assembling into a three-dimensional network structure that gels the oil phase in oil solvents or oil-water mixtures, forming a gel. Therefore, the gelling factor can serve as an oil-absorbing material, achieving oil-water separation. Furthermore, the cross-linked nanofibers provide rigidity to the gel, giving it sufficient mechanical strength and good mechanical properties, facilitating the storage and transportation of oil solvents or oil phases, and effectively reducing leakage and diffusion of oil solvents or oil phases. Attached Figure Description

[0026] Figure 1 The image shows the 1H NMR spectrum of the gel factor prepared in Example 1 of this invention.

[0027] Figure 2 This is a frequency scan test result diagram of organic gels of different concentrations in Example 2 of the present invention.

[0028] Figure 3 The image shows the strain scanning test results of organic gels with different concentrations in Example 2 of this invention.

[0029] Figure 4 This is a photograph of the organic gel formed at the critical gelling concentration when the solvent is n-hexane in Example 3 of the present invention.

[0030] Figure 5 This is a diagram showing the oil absorption effect of the concentrated organic gel in Example 4 of the present invention.

[0031] Figure 6 The images shown are of the organic gel in Example 5 of this invention, where (a) is a side view and (b) is a top view.

[0032] Figure 7 This is a physical image of the gel beads with a certain degree of elasticity in Embodiment 6 of the present invention.

[0033] Figure 8 This is a physical image of the "gel fish" in Embodiment 7 of the present invention.

[0034] Figure 9 This is a physical image of the "gel brain" in Embodiment 7 of the present invention.

[0035] Figure 10 This is a physical image of the "gel heart" in Embodiment 7 of the present invention.

[0036] Figure 11This is the AFM image of the organogel in Example 7 of this invention.

[0037] Figure 12 This is a physical image of the reshaped organic gel in Example 8 of the present invention.

[0038] Figure 13 This is a diagram showing the load-bearing effect of the reshaped organic gel in Example 8 of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0039] This invention provides a gelling factor, its preparation method, and its application. To make the objectives, technical solutions, and effects of this invention clearer and more explicit, the invention is further described in detail below. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only for explaining the invention and are not intended to limit the invention.

[0040] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. The terminology used herein in the specification of this invention is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. An embodiment of this invention provides a gelling factor, wherein the structural formula of the gelling factor is:

[0041]

[0042] Wherein, R1 is a side chain group attached to the central carbon atom of an amino acid, excluding the amino group, carboxyl group, and one hydrogen atom, and the amino acid is selected from one of glycine, alanine, valine, leucine, isoleucine, methionine, proline, tryptophan, serine, tyrosine, cysteine, phenylalanine, asparagine, glutamine, threonine, aspartic acid, glutamic acid, lysine, arginine, histidine, selenocysteine, and pyrrolidone.

[0043] R2 is an alkyl group having 16 to 19 carbon atoms;

[0044] R3 is either 9-fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl (Fmoc) or tert-butyloxycarbonyl (Boc).

[0045] It is understandable that low molecular weight organic molecules can cause solvents to gel at certain concentrations; these low molecular weight organic molecules are called gelling factors.

[0046] This invention provides a series of biodegradable, non-toxic, and environmentally friendly amino acid derivative-based gelling factors through structural design of amino acid molecules, enriching the variety of gelling factors and enabling the preparation of more functional materials, specifically for the preparation of supramolecular gels. Simultaneously, the gelling factors possess hydrophobic long alkyl tail chains, enabling them to spontaneously aggregate at low gelation concentrations via a bottom-up self-assembly strategy through hydrogen bonds, π-π interactions, and hydrophobic forces. They then physically crosslink to form nanofibers, assembling into a three-dimensional network structure that gels the oil phase in oil solvents or oil-water mixtures, forming a gel. Therefore, the gelling factors can serve as oil-absorbing materials, achieving oil-water separation. Furthermore, the crosslinked and interlocked nanofibers provide rigidity to the gel, giving it sufficient mechanical strength and good mechanical properties, facilitating the storage and transportation of oil solvents or oil phases, and effectively reducing leakage and diffusion of oil solvents or oil phases.

[0047] Specifically, through molecular design, the gelling factor in this embodiment, namely an amino acid derivative, has a molecular weight of less than 600 and a length of approximately 2-3 nm. When dissolved in oil-based solvents or oil-water mixtures, it readily forms ultrafine fibers with a width of 2-3 nm. These fibers undergo helical cross-linking, forming a cross-linked three-dimensional network structure capable of capturing a significant amount of the oil phase in the oil-based solvent or oil-water mixture, thereby forming a high-strength, highly stable organic gel. This organic gel remains stable even after being placed at room temperature for 2-3 months. The critical gelling concentration of the gelling factor provided in this embodiment can be as low as 0.180 wt%.

[0048] As is well known, the general structural formula of amino acids is R refers to the side chain group attached to the central carbon atom of an amino acid, excluding the amino group, carboxyl group, and one hydrogen atom. Different R side chain groups determine different types of amino acids. For example, in this embodiment, when the amino acid is glycine, R1 is -H; when the amino acid is alanine, R1 is -CH3; when the amino acid is valine, R1 is -CH(CH3)2; and when the amino acid is methionine, R1 is... When the amino acid is phenylalanine, then R1 is When the amino acid is threonine, then R1 is When the amino acid is aspartic acid, then R1 is And so on. Among them, Indicates the connection site.

[0049] R2 is an alkyl group having 16 to 19 carbon atoms; specifically, it can be a straight-chain alkyl group having 16 to 19 carbon atoms, such as -C 16 H 33 -C 17 H 35 -C 18 H37 -C 19 H 39 wait.

[0050] This invention also provides a method for preparing the gelling factor as described above, comprising the following steps:

[0051] supply R2-NH2;

[0052] Will R2-NH2, 1-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-3-ethylcarbodiimide hydrochloric acid (EDC·HCl), 1-hydroxybenzotriazole (HOBt), and an organic solvent were mixed and stirred to obtain the crude product.

[0053] After purifying the crude product, the gelling factor is obtained, wherein the groups represented by R3 and R1 are the same as those mentioned above, and will not be repeated here.

[0054] In this embodiment, the amino acid with the N-terminus protecting group R3 is... The gelling agent is obtained by reacting fatty amine R2-NH2, condensing agent EDC·HCl and HOBt. At the same time, the combined use of EDC·HCl and HOBt can effectively control side reactions, and HOBt can also prevent racemization during the synthesis process.

[0055] In some embodiments, the organic solvent includes at least one selected from dichloromethane, toluene, n-hexane, and n-octane, but is not limited thereto. Preferably, the organic solvent is dichloromethane, in which the reactants have the highest solubility.

[0056] In some embodiments, the stirring reaction is carried out at room temperature for 3 to 7 days, for example, 3, 4, 5, 6 or 7 days. Unless otherwise specified, 1 day in this invention represents 24 hours.

[0057] In some embodiments, the step of purifying the crude product specifically includes:

[0058] The crude product was washed with a mixture of ethanol and water (to remove unreacted condensing agents, amino acids with N-terminal protecting groups R3, and fatty amines), then recrystallized with ethyl acetate and dried to obtain the gelling agent.

[0059] In this embodiment, since the gelling agent with hydrophobic long alkyl tail chain is insoluble in the mixed solution of ethanol and water, the target product can be obtained by filtration after washing the crude product with the mixed solution of ethanol and water.

[0060] This invention also provides an application of the gelling factor described above as an oil-absorbing material. Alternatively, this invention further provides an application of the gelling factor prepared using the preparation method described above as an oil-absorbing material. Or, this invention further provides an application of both the gelling factor described above and the gelling factor prepared using the preparation method described above as an oil-absorbing material.

[0061] This invention also provides an application of the gelling factor described above in the embodiments of this invention in the field of oil-water separation. Alternatively, this invention further provides an application of the gelling factor prepared using the preparation method described above in the embodiments of this invention in the field of oil-water separation. Alternatively, this invention further provides an application of both the gelling factor described above in the embodiments of this invention and the gelling factor prepared using the preparation method described above in the embodiments of this invention in the field of oil-water separation.

[0062] The gelling agent provided by this invention has special micro-nano structural features. It can efficiently and rapidly form supramolecular gels in various aliphatic hydrocarbons (such as hexane, heptane, octane, cyclohexane, etc.) and is relatively stable within 2-3 months, making it applicable in harsh environments in the field of oil-water separation.

[0063] In this embodiment, the gelling agent achieves oil-water separation by forming a gel with the oil. Specifically, the oil includes at least one of diesel, kerosene, gasoline, and engine oil.

[0064] This invention also provides an organic gel, comprising a gelling agent and an oil solvent, wherein the gelling agent is the gelling agent described above in this invention, or the gelling agent is a gelling agent prepared by the preparation method described above in this invention, or the gelling agent is a combination of the gelling agent described above in this invention and a gelling agent prepared by the preparation method described above in this invention.

[0065] In this embodiment, by selecting different solvents, supramolecular gels with different properties and functions can be obtained.

[0066] In some embodiments, the oil solvent includes a liquid hydrocarbon solvent, which includes, but is not limited to, at least one of pentane (e.g., n-pentane), hexane (e.g., n-hexane), cyclohexane, heptane (e.g., n-heptane), octane (e.g., n-octane), nonane (e.g., n-nonane), decane (e.g., n-decane), undecane (e.g., n-undecane), dodecane (e.g., n-dodecane), tridecane (e.g., n-tetrazane), and tetradecane (e.g., n-tetradecane).

[0067] The oil solvent may also include hydrocarbon mixtures such as petroleum ether, gasoline, diesel, kerosene, engine oil, and lubricating oil; the oil solvent may also include liquid vegetable oils such as rapeseed oil, olive oil, and palm oil; the oil solvent may also include liquid ester solvents, including but not limited to ethyl dichloroacetate.

[0068] This invention also provides a method for preparing an organic gel, comprising the following steps:

[0069] The gelling agent and oil solvent are mixed, heated and stirred, and then cooled at room temperature to obtain the organic gel.

[0070] When the gelling factor concentration is greater than 5 mg / mL, the organic gel has good self-support; when the gelling factor concentration is greater than 10 mg / mL, the organic gel has good elasticity and can return to its original shape after being deformed under certain pressure and the pressure is removed; when the gelling factor concentration is in the range of 10-20 mg / mL, it can replicate the shape of the mold very well, and the organic gel obtained will not deform after being left for a long time.

[0071] The following detailed description uses specific examples.

[0072] Example 1

[0073] Unless otherwise specified, all raw materials used in the following examples are commercially available products. Among them, Fmoc-L-phenylalanine was purchased from Shanghai Aladdin Biochemical Technology Co., Ltd., with the brand name F105472.

[0074] This embodiment provides a method for preparing a gelling factor, comprising the following steps:

[0075] 2g of Fmoc-L-phenylalanine 1.67 g of octadecylamine, 0.96 g of EDC·HCl, and 0.84 g of 1-hydroxybenzotriazole monohydrate were added to a round-bottom flask, and 125 mL of dichloromethane was added as a solvent. The mixture was stirred thoroughly at room temperature and reacted for 3 days.

[0076] The solvent was removed from the reaction product by rotary evaporation. 200 mL of a 1:1 volume ratio of ethanol / water mixed solvent was added, and the mixture was heated and stirred until boiling. The mixture was filtered while hot, and the residue was collected. A 3:7 volume ratio of ethanol / water mixed solvent (100 mL of ethanol and 234 mL of water) was added. The above operation was repeated 3 times to obtain the crude gelling agent.

[0077] Add 400 mL of dichloromethane to the crude gelling agent described above, heat to dissolve until the solution is clear, filter while hot, and collect the filtrate. Cool the filtrate to room temperature and perform rotary evaporation.

[0078] The product obtained after rotary evaporation was recrystallized twice with ethyl acetate and finally dried under vacuum to obtain the final product, gelling agent. Designated as L-FPC18, it is a white solid powder, and its 1H NMR spectrum is as follows: Figure 1 As shown.

[0079] Example 2

[0080] This embodiment provides a method for preparing an organic gel, including the following steps:

[0081] L-FPC18 and n-dodecane from Example 1 were dissolved by heating at 200°C until the solution became clear (the concentrations of L-FPC18 were 5 mg / mL, 10 mg / mL, and 20 mg / mL, respectively). The solutions were then allowed to self-assemble at room temperature for 2 hours to obtain three types of organogels. Dynamic rheological behavior tests were performed on the three organogels. The organogels were uniformly dispersed on the sample stage of an MCR302 rheometer, and dynamic frequency and strain scans were measured. Before each test, the height of the gel was accurately measured with a ruler to control the gap between the parallel plate and the gel. During the test, a layer of glycerol was applied around the parallel plate to mitigate solvent evaporation from the gel. The results are as follows: Figure 2 As shown. By Figure 2 It can be seen that in dynamic frequency scanning (ω=0.1~100rad·s) -1 In the test, as the scanning frequency changed, the G′ / G″ of the organic gel at all three concentrations remained consistently greater than that at all three concentrations, indicating that the frequency had little effect and that stable gels could be formed at all three concentrations. Notably, when the concentration increased to 20 mg / mL, G′ / G″ remained constant, demonstrating that the concentration was not sensitive to frequency changes at higher concentrations.

[0082] In strain scanning tests, such as Figure 3 As shown, when a small strain of 0.01% is applied, the gel concentration increases from 5 mg / mL to 20 mg / mL, and the elastic modulus G′ increases from 689 Pa to 4100 Pa. When the concentration increases, the elastic modulus and viscous modulus of the organic gel also increase accordingly.

[0083] At a concentration of 5 mg / mL, the linear elastic region (LVE) exists within the strain range of 0.01% to 1.41%. During this range, the elastic modulus G′ and viscous modulus G″ remain almost constant, with G′ > G″, indicating that the organic gel is a typical viscous soft material. At a strain value of 4.45%, G′ and G″ almost coincide, representing the critical point. However, when the strain value exceeds 4.45%, the G′ value decreases sharply with increasing strain, indicating that the three-dimensional network structure of the gel has been disrupted, leading to flow.

[0084] Similarly, when the concentration of the organic gel is 10 mg / mL, it is in the LVE region when the strain is in the range of 0.01 to 1%. When the applied strain exceeds 1%, the gel is damaged to a certain extent and the modulus begins to decrease. When the strain increases to 21.36%, G′=G″.

[0085] For a gel with a concentration of 20 mg / mL, its linear viscoelastic region is relatively narrow, consisting only of areas with strain < 0.14%. The failure point is reached at a strain value of 1.06%. Since a wider linear viscoelastic region indicates greater gel stability, it is evident that this gel, at a concentration of 10 mg / mL, can withstand significant deformation without being destroyed.

[0086] Example 3

[0087] L-FPC18 and n-hexane from Example 1 were dissolved by heating at 150°C until the solution became clear, with the concentration of L-FPC18 as low as 0.531 wt% (critical gelation concentration). The solution was then cooled to room temperature for approximately 5 minutes. Figure 4 As shown, when the sample vial is inverted, a stable organic gel is formed. Therefore, L-FPC18 can act as an oil-absorbing material to immobilize the oil solvent n-hexane, and 3.57g of gelling agent L-FPC18 can gel approximately 1L of n-hexane.

[0088] L-FPC18 and n-octane from Example 1 were heated and dissolved at 180°C until the solution became clear, with the concentration of L-FPC18 as low as 0.296 wt% (critical gelation concentration). After cooling at room temperature for about 5 minutes, a stable organic gel was formed. Therefore, L-FPC18 can act as an oil-absorbing material to immobilize the oil solvent n-octane, and 2.08 g of gelling agent L-FPC18 can gel approximately 1 L of n-octane.

[0089] L-FPC18 and n-decane from Example 1 were heated and dissolved at 200°C until the solution became clear, with the concentration of L-FPC18 as low as 0.189 wt% (critical gelation concentration). After cooling at room temperature for about 5 minutes, a stable organic gel was formed. Therefore, L-FPC18 can act as an oil-absorbing material to fix the oil solvent n-decane, and 1.39 g of gelling agent L-FPC18 can gel approximately 1 L of n-decane.

[0090] L-FPC18 and dodecane from Example 1 were heated and dissolved at 220°C until the solution became clear, with the concentration of L-FPC18 as low as 0.180 wt% (critical gelation concentration). After cooling at room temperature for about 5 minutes, a stable organic gel was formed. Therefore, L-FPC18 can act as an oil-absorbing material to fix the oil solvent dodecane, and 1.35 g of gelling agent L-FPC18 can gel approximately 1 L of dodecane.

[0091] Furthermore, L-FPC18 from Example 1 exhibits a similar phenomenon in gasoline, kerosene, diesel, and engine oil, forming a stable organic gel.

[0092] Therefore, the gelling agent provided by the present invention has good oil absorption capacity.

[0093] Example 4

[0094] A certain amount of L-FPC18 was weighed and placed in a clean sample vial. Then, n-octane was added as a solvent, and the mixture was heated until clear. The concentration of L-FPC18 was 10 mg / mL. After cooling at room temperature for 5 minutes, the mixture was quickly transferred to a mold. Once a stable gel formed at room temperature, it was placed in an 80°C oven to remove some of the solvent, resulting in a higher concentration gel. The concentrated organic gel after partial solvent removal was chopped and placed in n-hexane solvent. It was then left at room temperature for a period of time. The results are as follows... Figure 5 As shown, the concentrated organic gel can gel n-hexane to form a new gel. This indicates that high-concentration organic gels also have good oil absorption capacity.

[0095] Example 5

[0096] This embodiment provides a method for preparing an organic gel, comprising the following steps:

[0097] L-FPC18 and n-hexane from Example 1 were placed in a sample vial and heated at 150°C until the solution became clear. The concentration of L-FPC18 was 5 mg / mL. The solution was stirred and heated until clear, then cooled to room temperature for about 5 minutes. The solution was then transferred to a mold and assembled at room temperature to form an organic gel. The actual product is shown in the figure below. Figure 6 As shown, the prepared organic gel has a certain strength and good self-supporting properties.

[0098] Example 6

[0099] This embodiment provides a method for preparing an organic gel, comprising the following steps:

[0100] L-FPC18 and n-decane from Example 1 were dissolved by heating at 150°C until the solution became clear, with the concentration of L-FPC18 being 10 mg / mL. The solution was then cooled to room temperature for 5 minutes, transferred to a centrifuge tube, and assembled for approximately 30 minutes to obtain the final gel product. Figure 7 As shown, the gel ball deflates when stimulated, but quickly rebounds after the pressure is removed, indicating that the gel has a certain degree of elasticity.

[0101] Example 7

[0102] This embodiment provides a method for preparing an organic gel, comprising the following steps:

[0103] L-FPC18 and n-tetradecane from Example 1 were dissolved by heating at 200°C until the solution became clear, with a concentration of L-FPC18 of 20 mg / mL. The solution was then cooled to room temperature for 5 minutes and rapidly transferred into molds of different shapes. Assembly was carried out at room temperature for approximately 2 hours to obtain organic gels of varying sizes. During gelation, L-FPC18 molecules adhered to the mold, were easily demolded, and did not collapse after 7 days. The results are as follows... Figure 8-10 As shown, the longest part of the "gel fish" can reach 9.5cm, the "gel brain" is approximately 4.5cm × 3.5cm × 1.5cm, and the central part of the "gel heart" is 2cm thick, with a maximum length of 6cm. These gel shapes all possess good mechanical strength and will not deform after being left at room temperature for 3 months.

[0104] The AFM diagram of the formed organic gel is shown below. Figure 11 As shown, the gel has an ultrafine, helical cross-linked fiber network structure, which means that the gelling agent provided by the present invention can capture more oil solvent molecules to form a high-strength gel.

[0105] Example 8

[0106] The organic gel formed in Example 7, i.e., the "gel heart," was concentrated and reshaped through a secondary heating method. Specifically, the "gel heart" was heated at 200°C for 15 minutes to obtain a hot solution. The hot solution was then rapidly transferred to molds of different shapes, assembled for 10 minutes, and demolded to obtain reshaped organic gels of different shapes (grape-like, strawberry-like, and apple-like, respectively). Figure 12 As shown.

[0107] Test: The hot solution obtained in Example 8 was poured into a mold and assembled for 10 minutes to form a reshaped organic gel. This gel was then cut into four gel pillars with a diameter of 18 mm, a height of 20 mm, and a weight of approximately 4.0 g. Figure 13 As shown, a glass plate is placed on top of the gel column, and a weight is placed on the glass plate. These gel columns can withstand a weight of over 10 kg. The reconstituted organic gel has good mechanical properties and can withstand a weight approximately 600 times its own weight.

[0108] Example 9

[0109] A certain amount of water and gasoline were added to a beaker. The gasoline floated on the water surface. L-FPC18 from Example 1 was then added to the beaker. After stirring, the gasoline formed a blocky gel, while the water remained in the beaker. The blocky gel could be removed from the beaker. Therefore, the gelling agent provided by this invention can be used for oil-water separation.

[0110] In summary, this invention provides a gelling factor, its preparation method, and its applications. Through molecular structure design, this invention offers a series of biodegradable, non-toxic, and environmentally friendly amino acid derivative-based gelling factors, enriching the variety of gelling factors and enabling their use in the preparation of supramolecular gels. The gelling factor possesses hydrophobic long alkyl tail chains, capable of spontaneously aggregating and assembling into a three-dimensional network structure through hydrogen bonding, π-π interactions, and hydrophobic forces. Specifically, through a bottom-up self-assembly strategy, ultrathin self-assembled nanofibers formed through physical cross-linking can effectively immobilize the oil phase in oil solvents or oil-water mixtures, forming high-strength organic gels.

[0111] It should be understood that the application of the present invention is not limited to the examples above. Those skilled in the art can make improvements or modifications based on the above description, and all such improvements and modifications should fall within the protection scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. An organic gel, characterized in that, The organic gel is prepared as follows: The gelling agent and oil solvent were mixed, heated and stirred, and then cooled at room temperature to obtain the organic gel. The gelling factor is The oil solvent is n-tetradecane.

2. A method for preparing the organic gel according to claim 1, characterized in that, Including the following steps: The gelling agent and oil solvent are mixed, heated and stirred, and then cooled at room temperature to obtain the organic gel.

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