Figure 2.

ELP displays a lower critical solution temperature (LCST) phase transition. A) Schematic depicting how temperature influences ELP hydrophobicity, leading to formation of polymer-rich aggregates above the LCST and increasing the translational entropy of associated solvent water molecules. B) Representative curves of unmodified ELP and ELPs modified with their respective azide molecules (1% w/v in PBS) present distinct LCST behaviors as measured by optical density (λ = 300 nm). C) ELP solutions (1% w/v in 10X PBS) modified with azide molecules exhibit observable changes in optical clarity in response to temperature increases. D) Schematic depicting how decreasing hydrophilicity leads to formation of protein aggregates, which obscures available crosslinking groups and reduces the overall modulus.