Bifunctional Modified Gelatin Hydrogels for Thermal Stability

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing biopolymer-based hydrogels, such as gelatin-based hydrogels, face challenges in mechanical stability and storage stability at elevated temperatures, which limits their suitability for biomedical applications like tissue engineering.

Innovation Solution

Development of bifunctional modified biopolymers that combine functional groups for free radical chain-growth polymerization and thiol-ene click reactions, allowing for controlled post-crosslinking grafting and improved mechanical properties.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If gelatin-based hydrogels are used for biomedical applications, then cell-interactive properties and availability are improved, but mechanical stability and storage stability at physiological temperatures are worsened

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveavailabilityVSAvoidmechanical stability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines gelatin with synthetic polymer chains containing crosslinkable functional groups (methacrylate, acrylate, vinyl ether, vinyl ester) to create a composite hydrogel system. This composite structure allows the material to maintain the biocompatibility and cell-interactive properties of gelatin while gaining the mechanical stability and temperature resistance of the synthetic polymer component.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The patent modifies the chemical structure of gelatin by introducing crosslinkable functional groups through chemical reactions (such as reacting gelatin with methacrylic anhydride to form gelatin methacrylamide). This parameter change enables the gelatin to undergo photo-crosslinking, fundamentally altering its mechanical properties and thermal stability without losing its biological functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If photo-crosslinking strategies are used to improve mechanical properties, then stability under physiological conditions is improved, but complexity of crosslinking mechanisms is worsened

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovestabilityVSAvoidcrosslinking mechanism complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the crosslinking functionality from complex multi-component systems and integrates it directly into the gelatin polymer chain itself. By incorporating crosslinkable functional groups (such as methacrylamide groups) directly onto the gelatin backbone, the system eliminates the need for separate crosslinking agents and simplifies the overall crosslinking mechanism while maintaining photo-crosslinking capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Stability of the object's composition

If thiol-ene click reactions are used to improve homogeneity and cell compatibility, then reaction homogeneity is improved, but mechanical properties are worsened

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovehomogeneityVSAvoidmechanical properties

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges two different crosslinking chemistries into a single hybrid system: the step-growth thiol-ene click reaction (which provides homogeneous network formation and cell compatibility) and the chain-growth polymerization of vinyl/ester groups (which provides enhanced mechanical strength). This merging allows both chemistries to work synergistically, with the thiol-ene portion ensuring homogeneity and the vinyl/ester portion contributing to mechanical reinforcement.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The bifunctional modified biopolymers achieve enhanced mechanical stability and controlled water uptake, while maintaining stability at elevated temperatures, making them suitable for advanced biomedical applications such as tissue engineering and 3D printing.

Implementation Method 1

n first functional groups and m second functional groups, wherein none of n or m is zero. The first functional groups comprise groups able of being radically cross-linked following a free radical chain-growth polymerisation

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFree radical chain-growth polymerization: Photopolymerisation

Implementation Method 2

The second functional groups comprise thiol-ene cross-linkable groups that remain unreacted during free radical chain-growth polymerisation of said first functional groups

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThiol-ene click reaction: Chemical Bonding

Data Source

PatentUS20250171595A1Bifunctional modified biopolymer based polymers and hydrogels obtainable from such bifunctional modified biopolymer based polymers

Publication Date: 2025.05.29 UNIV GENT

AI summary

Bifunctional modified biopolymer based polymer comprise at least one polymer chain comprising n first functional groups and m second functional groups. The first functional groups comprise groups able of being radically cross-linked following a free radical chain-growth polymerisation. The second functional groups comprise groups able to thiol-ene crosslinking. Preferred bifunctional modified biopolymer based polymers comprise bifunctional modified gelatin and bifunctional modified collagen. The invention further relates to a method to prepare such a bifunctional modified biopolymer based polymer and to a method to prepare a hydrogel starting from such bifunctional modified biopolymer based polymer. Furthermore the invention relates to hydrogels obtainable starting from such bifunctional modified biopolymer based polymers and to the use of such hydrogels.