Metal cholate hydrogels: versatile supramolecular systems for nanoparticle embedded soft hybrid materials

Abstract

This work describes the formation of hydrogels from sodium cholate solution in the presence of a variety of metal ions (Ca²⁺, Cu²⁺, Co²⁺, Zn²⁺, Cd²⁺, Hg²⁺ and Ag⁺). Morphological studies of the xerogels by electron microscopy reveal the presence of helical nanofibres. The rigid helical framework in the calcium cholate hydrogel was utilised to synthesize hybrid materials (AuNPs and AgNPs). Doping of transition metal salts into the calcium cholate hydrogel brings out the possibility of synthesising metal sulphide nano-architectures keeping the hydrogel network intact. These novel gel–nanoparticle hybrid materials have encouraging application potentials.