Organic and Coordination Polymer-Based Gelators-Directed Mechanically Self-Repairing Flexible Metallosupramolecular Soft Scaffolds

Ni(II)-source and terephthalic acid (TA)-based solvent-directed supramolecular metallogels (i.e., Ni-TA-DMF and Ni-TA-DMSO) are achieved in diverse polar-aprotic solvent media involving DMF and DMSO. The Zn(II) coordination polymer-based gel composite (CPG-composite) of Ni(II) is also originated by utilizing a terephthalic acid-directed chemically functionalized Zn(II)-based two-dimensional coordination polymeric network. The mechanical flexibility of metallogels is well-characterized through rheology. Ni-TA-DMF and Ni-TA-DMSO offer extensive self-repairing and load-tolerating proficiency. FESEM microstructural analyses unveil the solvent-directed variable morphological architecture of Ni-TA-DMF and Ni-TA-DMSO and the distinctive microstructural pattern of the CPG-composite. NMR analysis also supports the association between terephthalic acid and the Zn(II)-based two-dimensional coordination polymeric network (Zn(II) CP-TA), which ultimately directs the formation of the CPG-composite. The mechanistic strategy of forming metallogels and the CPG-composite has been scrutinized by using FT-IR and ESI-Mass studies. The semiconducting features of individual Ni-TA-DMF and Ni-TA-DMSO supramolecular metallogels along with the CPG-composite are investigated by fabricating distinct metal-semiconductor junction devices. Current-voltage parameters show the non-Ohmic conductive property in the fabricated devices. The nonlinearity and rectifying nature signify the Schottky barrier diode property of the fabricated devices. Significant diode features like conductivity, charge transport mechanism, ideality factor, and rectification ratio are also explored.