ELMA^®+, Curable Elastin, 1 g

ELMA^®+ (methacrylated elastin) is a chemically modified elastin protein, specifically a telechelic derived from an elastin hydrolysate, which has been made photopolymerizable through the introduction of methacrylate groups. The starting material is natural elastin, which is methacrylated at its amino or hydroxy groups. This modification allows ELMA to be crosslinked via radical photopolymerization under UV or visible light, resulting in stable, elastic hydrogels.
The main properties of ELMA are its natural elasticity, biocompatibility, and controllable crosslinking, which allows stiffness and gel structure to be precisely tuned.
ELMA is primarily used in tissue engineering, hydrogel applications, biofabrication, and for 3D-printed, cell-friendly structures.

ELMA^®+ is compatible with common photoinitiators, including LAP, and can be used in combination with gelling or viscous polymers, as it does not possess gelling properties on its own. In composite materials, ELMA can influence both viscosity and elastic modulus.

ELMA^®+ is particularly suitable for applications in bioinks and composite material systems and can be easily combined with GelMA, gelatin, or collagen-like materials.