What are the theories on gel formation?
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Gel formation is approached through various theories in the literature. One theory focuses on the self-assembly of natural product gelators (NPGs) driven by solvent interactions and the structures of the gelators . Another theory delves into drop-wise addition polymerization, introducing a unique distribution function for cyclic species and deriving a gel point formula for this polymerization process . Additionally, a nonequilibrium self-assembly mechanism is proposed to describe gel formation, considering the presence of precursors and entropy production in the dynamic assembly of structures, with results aligning well with experimental data . Furthermore, simulations on randomly functionalized polymers elucidate the competition between intra- and intermolecular bonds, leading to system-spanning networks and the dynamics of reversible gel-forming systems .
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Open access•Posted Content | The paper discusses gel formation in reversibly cross-linking polymers, highlighting the competition between intra- and intermolecular bonds, density-dependent effective valence, and dynamics mediated by bond strength. |
4 Citations | The paper discusses gel formation in reversibly cross-linking polymers, highlighting the competition between intra- and intermolecular bonds, density-dependent effective valence, and dynamics mediated by bond strength. |
15 Citations | Gel formation is explained as a nonequilibrium self-assembly process involving precursors, described by a mesoscopic nonequilibrium thermodynamic model based on Fokker-Planck kinetic equations. |
Open access•Posted Content 1 Citations | The paper presents a theory of drop-wise addition polymerization leading to a unique distribution function for cyclic species, culminating in a gel point formula for gel formation. |
6 Citations | The paper proposes the "solvent-induced gel formation hypothesis" based on the theory of thermodynamics for liquids, explaining how natural product gelators with polycyclic structures form gels. |
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