Small-Angle Neutron Scattering Studies of Chemically Cross-Linked Gelatin Solutions and Gels

Supramolecular structure of methyl cellulose and lambda- and kappa-carrageenan in water: SAXS study using the string-of-beads model

A detailed data analysis utilizing the string-of-beads model was performed on experimental small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) curves in a targeted structural study of three, very important, industrial polysaccharides. The results demonstrate the quality of performance for this model on three polymers with quite different thermal structural behavior. Furthermore, they show the advantages of the model used by way of excellent fits in the ranges where the classic approach to the small-angle scattering data interpretation fails and an additional 3D visualization of the model's molecular conformations and anticipated polysaccharide supramolecular structure. The importance of this study is twofold: firstly, the methodology used and, secondly, the structural details of important biopolymers that are widely applicable in practice.

Influence of high energy electron irradiation on the network structure of gelatin hydrogels as investigated by small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS)

Small-angle X-ray scattering revealed ranging structural differences in physically entangled and irradiation-crosslinked gelatin hydrogels.

Small angle neutron scattering contrast variation reveals heterogeneities of interactions in protein gels

We propose a quantitative approach to probe the spatial heterogeneities of interactions in macromolecular gels, based on a combination of small angle X-ray (SAXS) and neutrons (SANS) scattering. We investigate the structure of model gluten protein gels and show that the gels display radically different SAXS and SANS profiles when the solvent is (at least partially) deuterated. The detailed analysis of the SANS signal as a function of the solvent deuteration demonstrates heterogeneities of sample deuteration at different length scales. The progressive exchange between the protons (H) of the proteins and the deuteriums (D) of the solvent is inhomogeneous and 60 nm large zones that are enriched in H are evidenced. In addition, at low protein concentration, in the sol state, solvent deuteration induces a liquid/liquid phase separation. Complementary biochemical and structure analyses show that the denser protein phase is more protonated and specifically enriched in glutenin, the polymeric fraction of gluten proteins. These findings suggest that the presence of H-rich zones in gluten gels would arise from the preferential interaction of glutenin polymers through a tight network of non-exchangeable intermolecular hydrogen bonds.

Hybrid processes in enzymatically gelled gelatin: impact on , macroscopic properties and cellular response

Physical, chemical and hybrid tilapia fish gelatin hydrogels were investigated by small-angle neutron scattering (), molecular dynamic simulations and their biological effect in cell cultures studied; results from the different experimental techniques were then correlated and linked to the rheological properties of the gels (F. Bode et al., Biomacromolecules, 2011, 12, 3741-3752). Hydrogels were obtained by cross-linking with the microbial enzyme transglutaminase (mTGase) under two conditions: above and below gelatin physical temperature (ca. 23 °C). Hydrogels cross-linked at 37 °C, from the sol-state, are referred to as 'chemical' gels (C); hydrogels cross-linked at 21 °C, thus with concurrent physical , are referred to as 'physical-co-chemical' gels (PC). The data were appropriately described by a combination of a Lorentzian and a power law model. For physical gels, the correlation length (ξ) obtained from the fits decreased linearly with gelatin concentration, from 42 to 26 Å for 3.5 to 10% w/w gelatin, respectively. Independently of temperature, all physical gels at a given concentration showed a similar correlation length ξ (26 ± 2 Å), with no significant difference with the sol-state (23 ± 2 Å). In both C and PC gels, ξ increased with mTGase concentration over the range studied: 40 to 167 Å for 10 and 40 U mTGase per g gelatin in C gels (after 120 min cross-linking) and 40 to 82 Å for 10 and 40 U mTGase per g gelatin for PC gels. ξ reached a plateau at the highest mTGase concentration studied for both types of gels. In addition, kinetic studies on C gels revealed that ξ increased linearly with time in the first two hours and grew faster with increasing mTGase concentration. ξ values in the PC gels were smaller than in the corresponding C gels. Cell proliferation studies showed that the gels were compatible with cell growth and indicated no statistically relevant dependence on mTGase concentration for C gels. For PC gels, cell proliferation decreased with increases in mTGase concentration, by approximately 80% from 10 to 40 U mTGase per g gelatin. With the exception of the highest mTGase concentration studied, PC gels overall showed a slightly (but statistically significant) higher cell proliferation than the corresponding chemical gels.

pH-responsive jello: gelatin gels containing fatty acid vesicles

We describe a new way to impart pH-responsive properties to gels of biopolymers such as gelatin. This approach involves the embedding of pH-sensitive nanosized vesicles within the gel. The vesicles employed here are those of sodium oleate (NaOA), a fatty-acid-based amphiphile with a single C18 tail. In aqueous solution, NaOA undergoes a transition from vesicles at a pH approximately 8 to micelles at a pH higher than approximately 10. Here, we combine NaOA and gelatin at pH 8.3 to create a vesicle-loaded gel and then bring the gel in contact with a pH 10 buffer solution. As the buffer diffuses into the gel, the vesicles within the gel get transformed into micelles. Accordingly, a vesicle-micelle front moves through the gel, and this can be visually identified by the difference in turbidity between the two regions. Vesicle disruption can also be done in a spatially selective manner to create micelle-rich domains within a vesicle-loaded gel. A possible application of the above approach is in the area of pH-dependent controlled release. A vesicle-to-micelle transition releases hydrophilic solutes encapsulated within the vesicles into the bulk gel, and in turn these solutes can rapidly diffuse out of the gel into the external bath. Experiments with calcein dye confirm this concept and show that we can indeed use the pH in the bath to tune the release rate of solutes from vesicle-loaded gels.

Structural and mechanical properties of UV-photo-cross-linked poly(N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone) hydrogels

Biocompatible poly( N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone) (PVP) hydrogels have been produced by UV irradiation of aqueous polymer mixtures, using a high-pressure mercury lamp. The resulting materials have been characterized by a combination of experimental techniques, including rheology, small-angle neutron scattering (SANS), electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), and pulsed gradient spin-echo nuclear magnetic resonance (PGSE-NMR), to put in evidence the relationship between the microstructural properties and the macrofunctional behavior of the gels. Viscoelastic measurements showed that UV photo-cross-linked PVP hydrogels present a strong gel mechanical behavior and viscoelastic moduli values similar to those of biological gels. The average distance between the cross-linking points of the polymer network was estimated from the hydrogels elastic modulus. However, SANS measurements showed that the network microstructure is highly inhomogeneous, presenting polymer-rich regions more densely cross-linked, surrounded by a water-rich environment. EPR and PGSE-NMR data further support the existence of these water-rich domains. Inclusion of a third component, such as glycerol, in the PVP aqueous mixture to be irradiated has been also investigated. A small amount of glycerol (<3% w/w) can be added keeping satisfactory properties of the hydrogel, while higher amounts significantly affect the cross-linking process.

Effect of cationic size on gelation temperature and properties of gelatin hydrogels

Effect of Na+, K+ and Ca2+ on gel transition temperature (Tg) of gelatin hydrogels (5%, w/v) has been studied by oscillatory rheology in the salt concentration range I = 0.01-0.1 M, which showed increase in Tg with salt concentration with the trend for Tg showing Ca2+ > K+ > Na+. The dynamic light scattering (DLS) measurements in the sol state (T>Tg) showed two distinct relaxation modes whereas only a gel mode was observed in the gel state in all the samples which contained significant amount of heterodyne contribution. Low frequency (1.5 rad/s) isochronal storage modulus data revealed the formation of strong gel in presence of CaCl2 compared to that of NaCl and KCl situations. The slow mode relaxation and heterodyne parameter obtained from DLS data indicate the presence of larger clusters in Ca2+ gels.