Covalent modification of graphene as a 2D nanofiller for enhanced mechanical performance of poly(glutamate) hybrid gels

Graphene-based materials usually require defined functionalization for biological applications in order to control their physical/colloidal properties and to introduce additional capabilities. Here, poly(glutamate), a competitive polypeptide, is covalently grafted onto the graphene oxide two-dimensional (2D) structure through the combination of amidation reaction and ring-opening polymerization as the nanofiller of a hybrid polypeptide-based organogel with enhanced mechanical performance. The morphologies of the hybrid gels reveal that the modified graphene nanostructures may act as nanoscale skeletons, interfacial adhesives in the hybrid gels with nanofibrous 3D network nanostructures.