A biodegradable hydrogel has been made based on high concentrations of whey protein isolate (WPI). WPI gels of different compositions were fabricated by thermally inducing gelation of high-concentration suspensions of protein, and characterized for compressive strength and modulus, hydration swelling and drying properties, mechanical behavior change due to polysaccharide additives, and intrinsic pore network structure. The gels were shown to be compatible with bone cells and could be used as bone tissue scaffolds. In addition, WPI fibers were produced by electrospinning. Several additives could be incorporated into the WPI gels, including structural additives, growth factors, amino acids, etc. The WPI hydrogels can be made with glycerol to increase flexibility and stability. The hydrogels could be used for tissue regeneration, food protection, controlled-release applications (including drug encapsulation, dietary supplement release, attractant release in lures, nutrient release to plants (fertilizers), column packing for compound separation, and membrane development.
