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Thermoplastic Elastomer Hydrogels via Self‐Assembly of an Elastin‐Mimetic Triblock Polypeptide
Author(s) -
Wright E.R.,
McMillan R.A.,
Cooper A.,
Apkarian R.P.,
Conticello V.P.
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
advanced functional materials
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 6.069
H-Index - 322
eISSN - 1616-3028
pISSN - 1616-301X
DOI - 10.1002/1616-3028(20020201)12:2<149::aid-adfm149>3.0.co;2-n
Subject(s) - materials science , elastomer , thermoplastic elastomer , self healing hydrogels , macromolecule , thermoplastic polyurethane , sequence (biology) , polymer , polymer science , copolymer , composite material , chemical engineering , polymer chemistry , biochemistry , chemistry , biology , genetics , engineering
Protein‐based analogues of conventional thermoplastic elastomers can be designed with enhanced properties as a consequence of the precise control of primary structure. Protein 1 undergoes a reversible sol–gel transition, which results in the formation of a well‐defined elastomeric network above a lower critical solution temperature. The morphology of the network is consistent with selective microscopic phase separation of the endblock domains. This genetic engineering approach provides a method for specification of the critical architectural parameters, such as block length and sequence, which define macromolecular properties that are important for downstream applications.