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Mechanochemical Preparation of Protein : hydantoin Hybrids and Their Release Properties
Author(s) -
Yuan Yusheng,
Wang Lei,
Porcheddu Andrea,
Colacino Evelina,
Solin Niclas
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
chemsuschem
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.412
H-Index - 157
eISSN - 1864-564X
pISSN - 1864-5631
DOI - 10.1002/cssc.202102097
Subject(s) - mechanochemistry , chemistry , nanomaterials , drug delivery , hydantoin , nanoparticle , covalent bond , organic chemistry , nanotechnology , combinatorial chemistry , chemical engineering , materials science , engineering
Mechanochemistry is a versatile methodology that can be employed both for covalent bond formation in organic synthesis as well as a mediator to allow preparation novel colloidal dispersions for drug delivery. Herein, ball‐milling was employed for the solid‐state preparation of fluorescent hydrophobic hydantoins, followed by the unprecedented mechanochemically‐mediated complexation of hydrophobic hydantoins within hydrophilic protein β‐lactoglobulin (BLG) and BLG nanofibrils (BLGNFs). These hydantoin:protein materials were in turn incorporated into hydrogels. The effect of incorporation of hydantoins into proteins, as well as the effect of protein structure, on the release properties were then investigated. The conversion of BLG to BLGNFs led to a more sustained release demonstrating that heat treatment of BLG into BLGNFs could be employed to modify release properties. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first example where protein : hydantoin complexes were prepared by mechanochemical methodology and mechanochemistry was combined with self‐assembly in order to prepare protein nanomaterials for drug‐delivery applications. In addition, the use of the developed protein materials is not limited to delivery of drugs but can for example be employed as components of smart food (delivery of nutrients) or release systems of pesticides.