Guillermo Copello: Keratin Based Smart Hydrogels: Origin and functional nanocomposites
Keratin Based Smart Hydrogels: Origin and functional nanocomposites
Guillermo J. Copello1,2
1UBA, Fac. Farm y Bioqca., Depto de Qca. Analítica y Físicoquímica, CABA, Argentina
2Instituto de Química y Metabolismo del Fármaco (IQUIMEFA-UBA-CONICET), CABA, Argentina.
E-mail: gcopello@ffyb.uba.ar
Abstract The interest in the development of biopolymer-based materials is driven by the properties typically present in these polymers, such as biocompatibility, biodegradability and sometimes low cost, which lead to sustainability of the production process and high acceptability by producers, consumers regulatory authorities. Keratin-based hydrogels are also endowed with these properties and have been studied for a long time. Nevertheless, they are typically obtained by reduction/extraction methods which need an improvement regarding yield and environmental friendliness. With the aim to overcome these shortcomings, a greener method was developed. This method leads to a pH-responsive material that is shrunk at pH < 6 and swelled above this pH. The applicability of the keratin hydrogels was tested by obtaining nanocomposites which can be used for emerging contaminants water remediation and the obtaining antimicrobial wound dressings.
Bio Guillermo J. Copello is Adjunct Professor at the Faculty Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica of the Universidad de Buenos Aires and Researcher from the CONICET at the IQUIMEFA (Instituto de Química y Metabolismo del Fármaco). His research project embraces the blending of natural polymers and nanotechnology for the obtaining, characterization and application of sustainable materials.
Related news
Congreso IMOH 2024: éxito científico y de participación
Del 15 al 17 de octubre, la sede de BCMaterials albergó la segunda edición del congreso ‘IMOH 2024, 2nd International Meeting on Challenges and Opportunities for HiCANS’, dedicado a la ciencia e...Kick-off meeting del proyecto europeo BIOntier
A mediados de octobre se celebró en Heraclion (Creta-Grecia) la reunión inaugural del proyecto BIOntier (BreakIng FrOntiers in sustainable and circular biocomposites with high performance for multi-...Nueva portada en Advanced Electronic Materials
La publicación realizada por BCMaterials y colaboradores “Printed Memristors: An Overview of Ink, Materials, Deposition Techniques, and Applications”, ha sido seleccionada como portada de la Advanced...BCMaterials pone en marcha la iniciativa 'Materials for Society'
BCMaterials puso en el mes de octubre la primera piedra de la iniciativa ‘Materials for Society’. Este proyecto científico, cultural y social tiene como objetivo explorar la implicación de la ciencia...