Responsive hydrogels applied in the biomedical area show great potential as synthetic extracellular matrix mimics and as host medium for cell growth. The hydrogels often lack the characteristic mechanical properties that are typically seen for natural gels. Here, we demonstrate the unique responsive and mechanical properties of hydrogels based on oligo(ethylene glycol) functionalized polyisocyanopeptides. These stiff helical polymers form gels upon warming at concentrations as low as 0.006 %-wt polymer, with materials properties almost identical to those of their intermediate filaments, a class of cytoskeletal proteins. Using a combination of macroscopic rheology and molecular force microscopy the hierarchical relationship between the macroscopic behaviour of theses peptide mimics has been correlated with the molecular parameters.

Stable helical polymers with a preferred handedness are compounds that offer intriguing characteristics. This review describes the progress in the synthesis of helical polyisocyanides and the investigations to determine their structural properties, such as helical pitch and handedness, by spectroscopic measurements and high resolution AFM. This review is not intended to be comprehensive; its purpose is to highlight recent studies that allow a better understanding of the main aspects of helical polyisocyanides.

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