Design, preparation and applications of gel nanocomposites from bile acids – A brief review

Abstract

Synthesis of advanced hybrid materials formed by the unification of nanoparticles with gels is gaining importance due to their unusual properties coupled with the ease of fabrication. The gel medium provides a template for generating complex inorganic nanostructures with controlled size and desirable mechanical properties. In this paper, we review the synthesis of various inorganic nanoparticles in gel matrices formed by the self-assembly of bile acid-derived gelators and the role of the gel medium to improve the properties of the nanocomposites.