The main purpose of the project is the synthesis of fibrinogen based xerogels that can be successfuly loaded with hydrophobic bioactive principles such as vegetal extracts or essential oils. To avoid using trombine as enzyme intiator new unconventional approaches are proposed. In this view, physical (ultrasounds, temperature) and chemical (ionic strength, salts of bivalent ions) initiation will be tested instead. Structuration as porous tridimentional network will lead to formation of xerogels. Chitosan will be used as counter partner for bicomponent xerogels. Several crosslinking methods will be tested and the one with best results in terms of the properties of final materials will be selected. The hydrophylic fibrinogen based xerogels will be used for loading of hydrophobic bioactive principles from plant extracts or essential oils. Loading will be performed in-situ or post-synthesis, and the obtained materials will be tested for general characteristics of xerogels and for antioxidant and antimicrobial activity. It is expected that the obtained fibrinogen based xerogels loaded with hydrophobic natural compounds will have suitabe properties for potential application in medicine. |
