Research situation for phase-selective supramolecular oil gelators

The situation for the research of oil gelators, especially the phase-selective supramolecular oil gelators including sugar derivatives, amino acid derivatives, cholesterol derivatives, and organic acids and their salt derivatives, which were used in the control of oil spilling in water, was reviewed. The enormous potential of the supramolecular phase-selective oil gelators in the preparation of the novel, inexpensive, efficient, environmentally friendly and reusable oil gelators was pointed out. It was predicted that the trends for the development of the phase-selective supramolecular oil gelators in the future would be easy use, gelling fast at ambient temperature and high strength of gelling oil as well as the combination of the oil gelators with oil absorbents.