SELF-HEALING MACROMOLECULAR CRYSTAL MATERIALS

    公开(公告)号:US20240286113A1

    公开(公告)日:2024-08-29

    申请号:US18655056

    申请日:2024-05-03

    摘要: Hybrid materials are disclosed including molecular/protein crystals integrated with synthetic polymers. The disclosed materials combine the structural order and periodicity of crystals, the adaptiveness and tunable mechanical properties of polymeric networks, and the chemical versatility of protein building blocks. Some of the properties of the disclosed materials include the following: 1) allows crystals-which are typically rigid and brittle—to expand and contract reversibly; 2) incorporates polymers to increase the mechanical toughness of the crystals and allow self-healing; 3) reversibly expand/contract crystal lattices and mobilize the protein components therein may provide a new means to improve X-ray diffraction quality and explore otherwise inaccessible protein structural states using 3D protein crystallography; 4) creation of chemically and mechanically differentiated domains within single crystals. Some example embodiments combine the properties of hydrogels (flexibility, adaptability, elasticity, self-healing), crystals (structural order) and proteins (chemical and genetic tailorability).

    WATER PURIFICATION BY IP6-CITRATE
    10.
    发明公开

    公开(公告)号:US20240123424A1

    公开(公告)日:2024-04-18

    申请号:US18278332

    申请日:2022-02-23

    摘要: This invention provides for removal of toxic heavy metal contamination from water using inositol hexakisphosphate. Inositol hexakisphosphate (InsP6 or IP6 aka phytic acid) is a ubiquitous polyphosphorylated carbohydrate with numerous biological and industrial functions including chelation of cations. IP6 hexa-citrate (IP6-citrate) was synthesized and characterized for use as metal chelator in the purification of water. The synthesized IP6-citrate was used to modify the surface of cellulose and the IP6-citrate-modified cellulose subsequently used to remove Pb, Cr and Cd from aqueous solutions. Atomic Absorption Spectrometry and differential pulse anodic stripping Voltammetry were used to test the levels of the heavy metals in water samples before and after the application of IP6-citrate-modified cellulose. The use of IP6-citrate modified cellulose decreased the amount of Cd, Cr and Pb in the water samples by 95-99%. IP6-citrate modified cellulose was superior to IP6-cellulose alone.