TY  - JOUR
A1  - Neffe, Axel T.
A1  - Loebus, Axel
A1  - Zaupa, Alessandro
A1  - Stötzel, Christian
A1  - Müller, Frank A.
A1  - Lendlein, Andreas
T1  - Gelatin functionalization with tyrosine derived moieties to increase the interaction with hydroxyapatite fillers
JF  - Acta biomaterialia
N2  - Combining gelatins functionalized with the tyrosine-derived groups desaminotyrosine or desaminotyrosyl tyrosine with hydroxyapatite (HAp) led to the formation of composite materials with much lower swelling ratios than those of the pure matrices. Shifts of the infra-red (IR) bands related to the free carboxyl groups could be observed in the presence of HAp, which suggested a direct interaction of matrix and filler that formed additional physical cross-links in the material. In tensile tests and rheological measurements the composites equilibrated in water had increased Young's moduli (from 200 kPa up to 2 MPa) and tensile strengths (from 57 kPa up to 1.1 MPa) compared with the matrix polymers without affecting the elongation at break. Furthermore, an increased thermal stability of the networks from 40 to 85 degrees C could be demonstrated. The differences in the behaviour of the functionalized gelatins compared with pure gelatin as a matrix suggested an additional stabilizing bond between the incorporated aromatic groups and the HAp as supported by the IR results. The composites can potentially be applied as bone fillers.
KW  - Gelatin
KW  - Hydroxyapatite
KW  - Composite
KW  - Hydrogel
KW  - Biomaterial
Y1  - 2011
U6  - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actbio.2010.11.025
SN  - 1742-7061
VL  - 7
IS  - 4
SP  - 1693
EP  - 1701
PB  - Elsevier
CY  - Oxford
ER  -