Study on Anisotropic Swelling-Shrinking Behavior of Uniaxially-oriented Polypeptide Liquid Crystalline Gels

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24550133
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Polymer chemistry
• Research Institution: Nagoya Institute of Technology
• Principal Investigator: INOMATA Katsuhiro 名古屋工業大学, 工学(系)研究科(研究院), 教授 (80232578)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: ポリペプチド / ゲル / 液晶 / 形状変化 / 刺激応答 / ヘリックス－コイル転移 / 階層構造

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this research, unique anisotropic swelling-shrinking behavior of uniaxially-oriented polypeptide liquid crystalline gels, accompanied with the helix-coil transition of the consisting polypeptide, has been studied. These gels were prepared by cross-linking the rigid alpha-helical polypeptide chains in liquid crystalline solution. Following new findings have been obtained. (1) Hierarchical characteristics of the gel from molecular chain level to macroscopic gel shape; (2) novel polypeptide gels which show thermo-responsive anisotropic swelling-shrinking behavior; and (3) investigation of liquid crystalline spinning method for processing of uniaxially-oriented polypeptide gel fiber.

Free Research Field

高分子構造・物性