Metastable hydrogels from aromatic dipeptides

Conte, M. P. and Singh, N. and Sasselli, I. R. and Escuder, B. and Ulijn, R. V. (2016) Metastable hydrogels from aromatic dipeptides. Chemical Communications, 52 (96). pp. 13889-13892. ISSN 1359-7345 (https://doi.org/10.1039/C6CC05821C)

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Abstract

We demonstrate that the well-known self-assembling dipeptide diphenylalanine (FF) and its amidated derivative (FF-NH2) can form metastable hydrogels upon sonication of the dipeptide solutions. The hydrogels show instantaneous syneresis upon mechanical contact resulting in rapid expulsion of water and collapse into a semi-solid gel.