Hybridizing Conductive Polymers with Self-Assembling Peptides for Biomedical Applications

Conductive, biocompatible materials, such as conductive polymers (CPs), hold a great deal of promise for biological applications. However, since conductive polymers are intrinsically brittle, a composite material is needed. Therefore, we developed conductive polymer-peptide hybrid materials that can self-assemble into fibrous networks mimicking the structure and density of human tissue. Two tetrapeptides, VEVA and VVEA were synthesized and characterized. A thiophene derivative was covalently linked to the peptide, allowing the peptide to be incorporated into the final conducting polymer. Self-assembly driven by non-covalent interactions allows for fibrous, homogenous gels to form in an aqueous environment. The addition of EDOT-OH expedited the polymerization process resulting in an electrically conductive hydrogel