We construct a coarse-grained model of parallel actin bundles crosslinked by compact globular bundling proteins, such as fascin and espin, necessary components of filopodial and mechanosensory bundles. Consistent with structural observations of bundles, we find that the optimal geometry for crosslinking is overtwisted, requiring a coherent structural change of the helical geometry of the filame...

In this study we prepared high grammage, robust, and structurally dense CNF (Cellulose nano fibrils) films with and without wet strength crosslinker KymeneTM (PAE, a polyamide-epichlorohydrin resin). Both selfcrosslink of PAE network and hetero crosslink between cellulose and PAE were formed at elevated temperature. Besides expected wet strength improvement, we also discovered unique stress-str...

In this work matrix based nanoparticulate polymer systems have been designed using the diacrylate derivative of the well-known biocompatible polymer, poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG). This has been crosslinked using bifunctional (ethyleneglycol dimethacrylate) and tetrafunctional (pentaerythritol tetraacrylate) crosslinkers in varied concentrations (10-90%) to result in a polymeric network. The cros...

To investigate protein-protein interaction sites in the DNA mismatch repair system we developed a crosslinking/mass spectrometry technique employing a commercially available trifunctional crosslinker with a thiol-specific methanethiosulfonate group, a photoactivatable benzophenone moiety and a biotin affinity tag. The XACM approach combines photocrosslinking (X), in-solution digestion of the cr...

Microgels are colloidally stable, hydrogel microparticles that have previously been used in a range of (soft) material applications due to their tunable mechanical and chemical properties. Most commonly, thermo and pH-responsive poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (pNIPAm) microgels can be fabricated by precipitation polymerization in the presence of the co-monomer acrylic acid (AAc). Traditionally pNI...

We investigated solvent induced transition of surface instability from wrinkles to creases in poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (PHEMA) gels with depth-wise crosslinking gradients. The mode of surface instability and morphology of surface patterns was found to be dependent on the equilibrium linear expansion, which was a function of crosslinker concentration and the solvent–polymer interaction....

Abstract As a result of the global demand for sustainable products, suitable alternative to resorcinol-formaldehyde aerogels, which are frequently used as precursors carbon is searched for. In this study, replacement petroleum-derived formaldehyde with natural, biobased crosslinker, namely 5-(hydroxymethyl)furfural (5-HMF) shown, and synthesis renewable, monolithic tannin aerogels demonstrated....

Side-chain liquid crystal elastomers (SC-LCEs) have been designed by using a new smectic crosslinker. Two types of monodomain films were prepared based on polysiloxane chains, with different relative concentration both crosslinker and mesogenic comonomers. The mesomorphic behavior the two SC-LCE systems was investigated differential scanning calorimetry polarized optical microscopy showing beha...

An increasing interest in tunable photonic structures is growing within the photonic community. The usage of Liquid Crystalline Elastomer (LCE) structures in the micro-scale has been motivated by the potential to remotely control their properties. In order to design elastic photonic structures with a three-dimensional lithographic technique, an analysis of the different mixtures used in the mic...

Crosslinkers are indispensable constituents for the preparation of SPE materials with ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) and divinylbenzene (DVB) among most prominent representatives. A crosslinker that has not yet been used sorbents is 3,3’-(hexane-1,6-diyl)bis(1-vinylimidazolium) bromide [C6-bis-VIM] [Br]. In this study, we synthesized differently crosslinked vinylimidazole polymers EGDMA...