| abstract |
A process for manufacturing: (i) a material comprising a network of non-human collagen fibrils, wherein less than 10% by weight of the collagen fibrils in the material are in the form of collagen fibers having a diameter of 5 µm or more, in the form of fibrils aligned for 100 µm or more of their lengths, or both; wherein said material does not contain more than 40% by weight of water; and wherein said material contains at least 1% of a lubricant, comprising: fibrillating an aqueous solution or suspension of non-human collagen molecules giving collagen fibrils, crosslinking said collagen fibrils by contacting them with at least one crosslinking agent , dehydrating the crosslinked collagen fibrils so that they contain less than 40% by weight of water, and incorporating at least 1% by weight of at least one lubricant in said material before, during or after said fibrillation, crosslinking and dehydration; or (ii) a material comprising a network of recombinant non-human collagen fibrils, wherein the collagen does not contain hydroxylysine; wherein said material does not contain more than 25% by weight of water; and wherein said material contains at least 1% of a lubricant comprising: fibrillating an aqueous solution or suspension of recombinant non-human collagen molecules that do not contain hydroxylysine giving collagen fibrils, crosslinking said collagen fibrils by contacting them with at least one crosslinking agent, dehydrating the crosslinked collagen fibrils so that they contain no more than 25% by weight of water, and incorporating at least 1% by weight of at least one lubricant in said material before, during or after said fibrillation, crosslinking and dehydration. |