Self‐assembled fibrillar networks and molecular gels employing 12‐hydroxystearic acid and its isomers and derivatives

Self‐assembly of small molecules can lead to many different types of objects and phases. This mini‐review concentrates on the formation of one‐dimensional objects and their transformation into gels from solutions/sols of 12‐hydroxystearic acid, a molecule derived from the castor bean, and its derivatives in a wide variety of liquids. It is shown how the molecular packing within the one‐dimensional objects and the nature of the derived gels can be correlated with systematic variations of the gelator structure and the type of liquid.