Journal
BIOMACROMOLECULES
Volume 9, Issue 10, Pages 2873-2880Publisher
AMER CHEMICAL SOC
DOI: 10.1021/bm8006659
Keywords
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Funding
- NSF MRSEC DMR [0520415]
- Division Of Materials Research
- Direct For Mathematical & Physical Scien [0520415] Funding Source: National Science Foundation
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Several naturally occurring biomacromolecular structures, particularly those containing histidine-rich proteins, have been shown to depend on metal ion complexation for hardness and stiffness. In this study, water-soluble metal-binding polymers and copolymers based on vinylimidazole were utilized to mimic the glycine- and histidinerich proteins of ragworm jaws. Blends of these polymers with agarose exhibited a significant capacity for Zn(II) and Cu(II) complexation. Rheological and uniaxial tensile tests as well as nanoindentational analysis of the blends revealed a more than 10-fold improvement in the tensile strength, along with increases in the hardness of the dried samples, upon metal ion addition. Pronounced differences in mechanical effects, however, were associated with Cu(II) and Zn(II) complexation, and the latter provided much better overall mechanical performance.
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