Effect of Ionic Liquids on the Fibril-Formation and Gel Properties of Grass Carp (Ctenopharyngodon idellus) Skin Collagen

Abstract

Self-assembled environment of collagen is one of the important factors for improving and regulating the properties of collagen-based biomaterials. This study aimed to investigate the effect of ionic liquids (ILs) on the fibril-formation and gel properties of grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idellus) skin collagen. Fibrillogenic kinetics analysis showed that the collagen self-assembly can be suppressed by the introduction of ILs, and the inhibitory effect is influenced by concentration and types of ILs. Scanning electron microscopy test indicated that the assembled collagen fibrils in the presence of ILs had bigger diameters than that in the conventional buffer. Differential scanning calorimetry analysis revealed that the thermal stability of collagen fibrils can be significantly increased when self-assembly is performed in the presence of ILs. Moreover, the introduction of ILs enhanced the mechanical strength of collagen gels. Finding from this work provides a new idea for improving the performance of fish-sourced collagen biomaterials.