Protein-Polymer Hydrogel Conjugates Without Organic Solvents
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for producing protein-polymer conjugates for tissue regeneration and drug delivery systems rely on environmentally unsafe polar organic solvents, posing health risks and environmental hazards.
Innovation Solution
A process is developed to create protein-polymer conjugates using an environmentally friendly method that avoids polar organic solvents, utilizing defined molar ratios of proteins and polymers to control biodegradation rates and enhance biocompatibility, with the use of unpurified plasma protein mixtures and photo-initiators for in situ gelation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If conventional methods using polar organic solvents are used to produce protein-polymer conjugates, then the production process is established and scalable, but the method poses health risks and environmental hazards
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the harmful polar organic solvents from the production process while maintaining the core conjugation chemistry. The method extracts only the necessary functional components (proteins and polymers) and eliminates the toxic isolation step, achieving solvent-free conditions that reduce health and environmental risks while preserving manufacturability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the previously harmful solvent-based isolation process into a beneficial solvent-free system. By eliminating the need for organic solvents, the method transforms a hazardous process into an environmentally friendly one, where the absence of solvents becomes the key advantage rather than a process limitation
2Reliability
If defined molar ratios of proteins and polymers are used, then biodegradation rates are controlled and biocompatibility is enhanced, but the process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent systematically controls the molar ratios of proteins to polymers as a key parameter to regulate biodegradation rates. By adjusting this stoichiometric parameter, the method achieves precise control over material properties and degradation kinetics, enhancing reliability and biocompatibility through quantitative optimization rather than qualitative complexity
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 method produces biocompatible hydrogel scaffolds with reduced adverse reactions, improved biocompatibility, and controlled biodegradation rates, suitable for tissue regeneration and drug delivery, while being environmentally safer and scalable.
Implementation Method 1
the synthetic polymer contains at least one polymerizable group
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides protein-polymer conjugates, and methods for generating biocompatible scaffolds formed of hydrogels comprising the conjugates and use of the scaffolds for tissue regeneration. The present invention provides improved processes for the preparation of the conjugates, wherein the conjugates of the invention are preferably produced in an environmentally friendly process avoiding polar organic solvents.