Development of Polyurethane/Peptide-Based Carriers with Self-Healing Properties

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Polymer Chemistry
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• In situ-forming gels with self-assembly and self-healing capabilities are crucial for biomedical applications like drug delivery and tissue regeneration.
• Developing advanced gel carriers requires precise control over material properties and interactions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To create an innovative gel carrier using amphiphilic polyurethane and peptide structures.
• To investigate the dynamic inter- and intramolecular interactions driving self-assembly and gelation.
• To tailor the polyurethane architecture for enhanced amphiphilicity and peptide interactions.

Main Methods:

• Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) to analyze micelle/aggregate size distribution.
• Attenuated Total Reflectance Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) for structural analysis.
• Rheological measurements to evaluate gelation, sol-gel transition, and self-healing properties at different temperatures.

Main Results:

• Polyurethane/peptide gels exhibited a sol-gel transition at body temperature (37 °C).
• Dynamic Light Scattering showed a decrease in aggregate size with increasing peptide content at 37 °C.
• Rheological tests confirmed rapid gelation (20-30 s) and significant self-healing properties, with complete recovery in approximately 300 s.

Conclusions:

• The addition of peptides enhanced polymer chain entanglement and intermolecular interactions, leading to a well-defined gel carrier.
• The developed polyurethane/peptide system demonstrates tunable viscoelastic properties and a biologically relevant sol-gel transition.
• This material holds significant potential for advanced medical devices in minimally invasive procedures and precision medicine.