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Updated: Oct 29, 2025

Microwave-assisted Functionalization of Polyethylene glycol and On-resin Peptides for Use in Chain Polymerizations and Hydrogel Formation
Published on: October 29, 2013
Biocompatible and photocrosslinkable poly(ethylene glycol)/keratin biocomposite hydrogels
Chenshu Wang1, Lijuan Wang1, Xiuzhen Wan1
1Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Biomedical Functional Materials, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Bio-functional Materials, School of Chemistry and Materials Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, P. R. China.
Abstract:
A biocompatible hydrogel is ideal for tissue engineering and regeneration. In this study, methacrylated keratin (KerMA) was synthesized for the first time and then blended with poly(ethylene glycol dimethacrylate) (PEGDMA) to form hydrogel through photocrosslinking. The chemical structure, gelation time, swelling behavior, hydrophilicity, cytotoxicity, and 3D printability of PEGDMA/KerMA hydrogels were characterized and exploited. The PEGDMA/KerMA hydrogels performed good cytocompatibility, providing potential applications for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.

