Controlled Annealing in Adaptive Multicomponent Gels |
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Authors: | Paolo Ravarino Dr Santanu Panja Simona Bianco Dr Todor Koev Dr Matthew Wallace Prof Dave J Adams |
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Institution: | 1. Dipartimento di Chimica Giacomo Ciamician, Alma Mater Studiorum, Università di Bologna, Via Selmi, 2, 40126 Bologna, Italy;2. School of Chemistry, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ UK;3. School of Pharmacy, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7TJ UK |
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Abstract: | We use a pH-driven annealing process to convert between co-assembled and self-sorted networks in multicomponent gels. The initially formed gels at low pH are co-assembled, with the two components coexisting within the same self-assembled structures. We use an enzymatic approach to increase the pH, resulting in a gel-to-sol transition, followed by a hydrolysis to lower the pH once again. As the pH decreases, a self-sorted network is formed by a two-stage gelation process determined by the pKa of each component. This approach can be expanded to layered systems to generate many varied systems by changing composition and rates of pH change, adapting their microstructure and so allowing access to a far greater range of morphologies and complexity than can be achieved in single component systems. |
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Keywords: | Annealing Co-Assembly Multicomponent Hydrogel Rheology |
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