Revealing the Aggregation Behaviors of Mesostructured Collagen by the Evaluation of Reconstituted Collagen Performance

This study investigated how aggregation behaviors of mesostructured collagen fibrils govern the mechanical, swelling, and optical properties of reconstituted collagen films. By systematically varying pH, ionic strength, temperature, and solvent polarity, the authors showed that collagen fibril aggregation is driven by electrostatic, hydrophobic, and hydrogen-bonding interactions, with fibril aspect ratio playing a critical role. Collagen films fabricated by vacuum-assisted filtration exhibited tunable tensile strength (0.04–4.38 MPa), elongation (14.7–220%), and modulus depending on fibril aggregation state. The work establishes clear processing–aggregation–property relationships for collagen-based films and provides design guidance for tailoring ECM-derived materials through mesoscale structural control.