Figure 1.

a–c) Photographs showing the phase transformations of 1 and 2 in absence and presence of NaOH. Confocal fluorescence microscopy images (scale bars=20 μm) of the multicomponent gel of 1 and 2 obtained in d) absence and e) presence of NaOH. In all cases, initial concentrations of 1 and 2 are 2 mg mL⁻¹ (2 mg mL⁻¹ of each in the mixed gel), concentration of NaOH is 0.01 M, solvent is DMSO/H₂O (20:80, v/v). Methyl red (0.05 mg mL⁻¹) is used to stain the gels (and sols).