Development of a Bioactive Supramolecular Cobalt(II)–Metallogel for Antimicrobial and Semiconducting Microelectronic Device Applications

An ultrasonication technique has been used to synthesize a Co(II)-metallogel using isophthalic acid as a gelator and cobalt(II)-acetate in N,N-dimethylformamide at room temperature. Rheological analysis revealed its robust mechanical properties, while FESEM and EDX mapping provided insights into its microstructure and elemental composition. FT-IR spectroscopy elucidated the mechanism of metallogel formation. Optical absorption studies indicated a semiconducting nature, with the material exhibiting a significantly higher electron mobility than similar compounds. The Co(II)-metallogel demonstrated strong antimicrobial activity against both Gram-positive (Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus epidermidis) and Gram-negative (Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) bacteria. These findings highlight the metallogel’s dual potential in electronics due to its superior semiconducting properties and in biomedicine, owing to its broad-spectrum antibacterial effects.