A Natural Glycyrrhizic Acid‐Tailored Light‐Responsive Gelator

Abstract The construction of stimuli‐responsive materials by using naturally occurring molecules as building blocks has received increasing attention owing to their bioavailability, biocompatibility, and biodegradability. Herein, a symmetrical azobenzene‐functionalized natural glycyrrhizic acid (trans‐GAG) was synthesized and could form stable supramolecular gels in DMSO/H2O and MeOH/H2O. Owing to trans–cis isomerization, this gel exhibited typical light‐responsive behavior that led to a reversible gel–sol transition accompanied by a variation in morphology and rheology. Additionally, this trans‐GAG gel displayed a distinct injectable self‐healing property and outstanding biocompatibility. This work provides a simple yet rational strategy to fabricate stimuli‐responsive materials from naturally occurring, eco‐friendly molecules.