Abstract: A method for cartilage tissue engineering including fabricating a nanocomposite, injecting the nanocomposite into a defect site of cartilage, and forming a hydrogel in the defect site of the cartilage using a sol-gel transition responsive to increasing temperature of the nanocomposite from room temperature to 37° C. Fabricating a nanocomposite includes forming an activated copolymer by functionalizing a copolymer, forming a conjugated copolymer by grafting the activated copolymer to a polysaccharide, forming a protein-conjugated copolymer by crosslinking a protein with the conjugated copolymer, forming the nanocomposite by adding a plurality of nanoparticles to the protein-conjugated copolymer.

Abstract: A method for cartilage tissue engineering including fabricating a nanocomposite, injecting the nanocomposite into a defect site of cartilage, and forming a hydrogel in the defect site of the cartilage using a sol-gel transition responsive to increasing temperature of the nanocomposite from room temperature to 37° C. Fabricating a nanocomposite includes forming an activated copolymer by functionalizing a copolymer, forming a conjugated copolymer by grafting the activated copolymer to a polysaccharide, forming a protein-conjugated copolymer by crosslinking a protein with the conjugated copolymer, forming the nanocomposite by adding a plurality of nanoparticles to the protein-conjugated copolymer.

Abstract: A method of producing protein nanoparticles from waste chicken feathers by enzymatic hydrolysis followed by ultrasonic treatment is disclosed. The process includes pretreatment of the chicken feathers. Then feather fibers are hydrolyzed enzymatically. The effects of enzyme concentration, hydrolysis time, and substrate concentration on particle mean size are analyzed to optimize the best condition in order to attain the smallest particles by a Box-Behnken Design. A minimum particle size is obtained by using 5 g/l feather and 3.6% enzyme with a hydrolysis time of 243 h. The hydrolyzed particles are then subjected to ultrasonic treatment to produce nanoparticles. The produced protein particles have high potential to be used in nanocomposites and adsorbents.

Abstract: The embodiments herein disclose a method of synthesizing protein nanoparticles from waste chicken feathers by enzymatic hydrolysis followed by ultrasonic treatment. The steps for the synthesis of the protein nanoparticles include pretreatment of the chicken feathers. The next step is hydrolyzing the feather fibres enzymatically. Further the effect of the enzyme concentration, hydrolysis time and substrate concentration are analyzed. Also the protein nanoparticles are characterized. The effects of enzyme concentration, hydrolysis time, and substrate concentration on particle mean size are analyzed to optimize the best condition in order to attain the smallest particles by a Box-Behnken Design. It was found that minimum particle size can be obtained by using 5 g/l feather and 3.6% enzyme at hydrolysis time of 243 h. A validation assay confirmed the predictive response value under the optimal conditions.