The present invention relates to a method of providing thermal and/or acoustic insulation to a structure, comprising the steps of: providing a substrate which comprises fibres; applying the substrate to the structure; blending the substrate with a binder composition before, during or after application of the substrate to the structure; allowing curing of the binder composition after the substrate and the binder composition have been applied to the structure; wherein the binder composition comprises at least one hydrocolloid. The present invention also relates to an insulated structure obtainable by said method.

Provided are biomaterials and methods useful for promoting large blood vessel growth in a subject. An example biomaterial includes a crosslinked hydrogel and a peptide chemically attached to the hydrogel wherein the peptide comprises an extracellular epitope of a cadherin protein. An example method includes administering to an area of the subject a therapeutically effective amount of the biomaterial, wherein the biomaterial provides artery growth, arteriole growth, a combination thereof in the area of administration.

A method of making a lightweight foamed recycled leather, the method includes pulverizing the collagen fiber waste generated in a controlling a thickness of the leather during a leather process; neutralizing the resultant of step (a) by a soda ash with a water; (c) dyeing and fat-liquoring process treating the resultant of the step (c); (d) mixing a latex, a dispersant, a coagulant, and a thermally expandable microspheres with the resultant of step (c); (e) coagulating a collagen fiber powder and the latex by adding a coagulant into the resultant of step (d); (f) dehydrating and drying the resultant of step (e); and (g) heat treating the resultant of step (f) to foam thermally expandable microspheres, thereby to impart functionality to the recycled leather.

The present invention relates to a process for manufacturing a biopolymer chemically modified with a functional group selected from a carbon-carbon double bond, a carbon-carbon triple bond and a nitrogen-nitrogen triple bond, wherein following chemical modification in an aqueous solution, the biopolymer is precipitated in an organic solvent, filtered and dried, and the organic solvent is recovered by distillation. A biopolymer chemically modified with a functional group selected from a carbon-carbon double bond, a carbon-carbon triple bond and a nitrogen-nitrogen triple bond obtained by said manufacturing process, and a hydrogel thereof are also provided.

A process of curing a photo-curable material includes dispersing a microcapsule in a material that includes a photo-initiator and a photo-curable material. The process also includes applying a stimulus to the microcapsule to trigger a chemiluminescent reaction within the microcapsule. The chemiluminescent reaction generating a photon having a wavelength within a particular emission range that is consistent with an absorption range of the photo-initiator. The photon exits the microcapsule to trigger the photo-initiator to initiate or catalyze curing of the photo-curable material.

According to the invention, thermoreversible hydrogels are provided, which are prepared from chain-extended poloxamers, having advantageous properties. In addition, the invention provides thermoreversible hydrogels, including biological materials, and a process for the preparation thereof, thermoreversible hydrogels including living cells, application systems for pharmaceutical applications, and an in-vitro-method for forming a composition on a surface.

The present invention discloses a molded article having a surface feature created by a light reactive agent interacting with light from a light source, and a method for making the same. The article is molded from a slurry comprised of an aqueous solution that includes a plurality of fibers and a light reactive agent. The slurry is molded into a three-dimensional solid fibrous molded part. The solid fibrous molded part is exposed to a light source such that the light reacts with the light reactive agent to create at least one surface feature. The surface feature can be, for example, a texture or a color change.

Described herein is a method for producing a biofabricated material from collagen or collagen-like proteins which are recombinantly produced and which contain substantially no 3-hydroxyproline. The collagen or collagen-like proteins are isolated from animal sources, or produced by recombinant DNA techniques or by chemical synthesis. The collagen or collagen-like proteins are fibrillated, crosslinked, dehydrated and lubricated thus forming the biofabricated material having a substantially uniform network of collagen fibrils.

The invention is directed to a composite material comprising a biofabricated material and a secondary component. The secondary component may be a porous material, such as a sheet of paper, cellulose, or fabric that has been coated or otherwise contacted with the biofabricated material. The biofabricated material comprises a uniform network of crosslinked collagen fibrils and provides strength, elasticity and an aesthetic appearance to the composite material.

A process of utilizing a light generating microcapsule to cure a photo-curable material includes dispersing a microcapsule in an interface material that includes a photo-initiator and a photo-curable material. The process also includes applying a stimulus to the microcapsule to trigger a chemiluminescent reaction within the microcapsule. The chemiluminescent reaction generating a photon having a wavelength within a particular emission range that is consistent with an absorption range of the photo-initiator. The photon generated within the microcapsule exits the microcapsule into the interface material to trigger the photo-initiator to initiate or catalyze curing of the photo-curable material.