Cara M. Barnes, Josh L. Gray, Andrew J. Carr, and Karla S. McCain. Austin College, Sherman, TX
The structure of bisurea organogelators as a function of tail length was studied using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). Bisurea organogelators with tail lengths ranging from C6 to C18 and with C6 and C12 linker groups between the ureas were used in this experiment. This study seeks to better understand the relationship between organogelator molecular structure and overall gel organization. Organogels have potential application in the production of paint and cosmetics, in the transportation of fuel, and in medication. Solid organogelator was dissolved in benzene, and spectra were acquired in the IR using a liquid cell with sodium chloride windows. The amide region was used to determine the relative amount of hydrogen bonding, and the methylene bending region was used to determine the relative amount of conformational deformations in the alkyl tails. The C6-linked organogelators showed an optimal tail length of ~C11, as well as a general trend of requiring higher concentrations for hydrogen bonding as tail length increases. These organogelators have also shown a decrease in the relative amount of conformational deformations as tail length increases. The organogel structure of the C12-linked organogelators showed less dependence on tail length than the C6-linked organogelators because of the different ways the molecules assemble. The C12-linked organogelators showed a general trend of more conformational defects as tail length increased.