ABSTRACT Herein, we report an ion‐tolerant supramolecular hydrogel formed from a pyrene‐conjugated amino acid in an electrolytic (saline) aqueous medium with a minimum gelator concentration of 1.8 mM. The hydrogel exhibits thermoreversible and thixotropic behavior, undergoing reversible gel–sol transitions in response to thermal and mechanical stimuli. Spectroscopic and microscopic studies reveal that cooperative π–π stacking of pyrene units and directional hydrogen‐bonding interactions from the amino acid backbone drive the self‐assembly process. UV–visible and fluorescence analyses confirm the formation of J‐type aggregates, while AFM demonstrates a concentration‐dependent transition from spherical aggregates to an interconnected fibrous network. Circular dichroism spectroscopy indicates efficient transfer of supramolecular chirality, leading to left‐handed helical assemblies that are disrupted at elevated temperatures. X‐ray diffraction reveals an ordered lamellar packing with a characteristic π–π stacking distance of ∼0.38 nm. Rheological investigations confirm the viscoelastic and thixotropic nature of the hydrogel. Importantly, the hydrogel exhibits good biocompatibility and effective antibacterial and antifungal activity, highlighting its potential as an injectable, ion‐resilient soft material for antimicrobial applications, localized drug delivery, and tissue engineering under physiological saline conditions.
Biswakarma et al. (Sun,) studied this question.