RT info:eu-repo/semantics/article
T1 Fast and reversible crosslinking of a silk elastin-like polymer
A1 González Obeso, Constancio
A1 Rodríguez Cabello, José Carlos
A1 Kaplan, David L.
K1 Polymers
K1 Polímeros
K1 Elastin
K1 Elastina
K1 Crosslinking
K1 Reticulación
AB Elastin-like polymers (ELPs) and their chimeric subfamily the silk elastin-like polymers (SELPs) exhibit a lower critical solvation temperature (LCST) behavior in water which has been extensively studied from theoretical, computational and experimental perspectives. The inclusion of silk domains in the backbone of the ELPs effects the molecular dynamics of the elastin-like domains in response to increased temperature above its transition temperature and confers gelation ability. This response has been studied in terms of initial and long-term changes in structures, however, intermediate transition states have been less investigated. Moreover, little is known about the effects of reversible hydration on the elastin versus silk domains in the physical crosslinks. We used spectroscopic techniques to analyze initial, intermediate and long-term states of the crosslinks in SELPs. A combination of thermoanalytical and rheological measurements demonstrated that the fast reversible rehydration of the elastin motifs adjacent to the relatively small silk domains was capable of breaking the silk physical crosslinks. This feature can be exploited to tailor the dynamics of these types of crosslinks in SELPs.
PB Elsevier
SN 1878-7568
YR 2022
FD 2022
LK https://uvadoc.uva.es/handle/10324/55090
UL https://uvadoc.uva.es/handle/10324/55090
LA eng
NO Acta Biomaterialia, 2022, vol. 141, p. 14-23
NO Producción Científica
DS UVaDOC
RD 23-dic-2024