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"Biomimetic"
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Bio-inspired structures and design
\"Master simple to advanced biomaterials and structures with this essential text. Featuring topics ranging from bionanoengineered materials to bioinspired structures for spacecraft and bio-inspired robots, and covering issues such as motility, sensing, control and morphology, this highly illustrated text walks the reader through key scientific and practical engineering principles, discussing properties, applications and design. Presenting case studies for the design of materials and structures at the nano, micro, meso and macro-scales, and written by some of the leading experts on the subject, this is the ideal introduction to this emerging field for students in engineering and science as well as researchers\"-- Provided by publisher.
Book
Synthetic nacre by predesigned matrix-directed mineralization
Although biomimetic designs are expected to play a key role in exploring future structural materials, facile fabrication of bulk biomimetic materials under ambient conditions remains a major challenge. Here, we describe a mesoscale \"assembly-and-mineralization\" approach inspired by the natural process in mollusks to fabricate bulk synthetic nacre that highly resembles both the chemical composition and the hierarchical structure of natural nacre. The millimeter-thick synthetic nacre consists of alternating organic layers and aragonite platelet layers (91 weight percent) and exhibits good ultimate strength and fracture toughness. This predesigned matrix-directed mineralization method represents a rational strategy for the preparation of robust composite materials with hierarchically ordered structures, where various constituents are adaptable, including brittle and heat-labile materials.
Journal Article
Erythrocyte membrane-camouflaged polymeric nanoparticles as a biomimetic delivery platform
Efforts to extend nanoparticle residence time in vivo have inspired many strategies in particle surface modifications to bypass macrophage uptake and systemic clearance. Here we report a top-down biomimetic approach in particle functionalization by coating biodegradable polymeric nanoparticles with natural erythrocyte membranes, including both membrane lipids and associated membrane proteins for long-circulating cargo delivery. The structure, size and surface zeta potential, and protein contents of the erythrocyte membrane-coated nanoparticles were verified using transmission electron microscopy, dynamic light scattering, and gel electrophoresis, respectively. Mice injections with fluorophore-loaded nanoparticles revealed superior circulation half-life by the erythrocyte-mimicking nanoparticles as compared to control particles coated with the state-of-the-art synthetic stealth materials. Biodistribution study revealed significant particle retention in the blood 72 h following the particle injection. The translocation of natural cellular membranes, their associated proteins, and the corresponding functionalities to the surface of synthetic particles represents a unique approach in nanoparticle functionalization.
Journal Article
Living materials fabricated via gradient mineralization of light-inducible biofilms
Living organisms have evolved sophisticated cell-mediated biomineralization mechanisms to build structurally ordered, environmentally adaptive composite materials. Despite advances in biomimetic mineralization research, it remains difficult to produce mineralized composites that integrate the structural features and ‘living’ attributes of their natural counterparts. Here, inspired by natural graded materials, we developed living patterned and gradient composites by coupling light-inducible bacterial biofilm formation with biomimetic hydroxyapatite (HA) mineralization. We showed that both the location and the degree of mineralization could be regulated by tailoring functional biofilm growth with spatial and biomass density control. The cells in the composites remained viable and could sense and respond to environmental signals. Additionally, the composites exhibited a maximum 15-fold increase in Young’s modulus after mineralization and could be applied to repair damage in a spatially controlled manner. Beyond insights into the mechanism of formation of natural graded composites, our study provides a viable means of fabricating living composites with dynamic responsiveness and environmental adaptability.
Coupling light-inducible bacterial biofilm formation with hydroxyapatite mineralization enables the synthesis of living patterned and gradient composite biomaterials with control over the degree of mineralization and the ability to self-heal.
Journal Article
Correction: Bions: A Family of Biomimetic Mineralo-Organic Complexes Derived from Biological Fluids
Bions sub-cultures were incubated in cell culture conditions for 2 weeks and the amount of bions was monitored by light absorbance.
Bions were retrieved by centrifugation, followed by washing steps and preparation for EDX analysis.
Journal Article
Layered nanocomposites by shear-flow-induced alignment of nanosheets
Biological materials, such as bones, teeth and mollusc shells, are well known for their excellent strength, modulus and toughness
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. Such properties are attributed to the elaborate layered microstructure of inorganic reinforcing nanofillers, especially two-dimensional nanosheets or nanoplatelets, within a ductile organic matrix
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. Inspired by these biological structures, several assembly strategies—including layer-by-layer
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, casting
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, vacuum filtration
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and use of magnetic fields
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—have been used to develop layered nanocomposites. However, how to produce ultrastrong layered nanocomposites in a universal, viable and scalable manner remains an open issue. Here we present a strategy to produce nanocomposites with highly ordered layered structures using shear-flow-induced alignment of two-dimensional nanosheets at an immiscible hydrogel/oil interface. For example, nanocomposites based on nanosheets of graphene oxide and clay exhibit a tensile strength of up to 1,215 ± 80 megapascals and a Young’s modulus of 198.8 ± 6.5 gigapascals, which are 9.0 and 2.8 times higher, respectively, than those of natural nacre (mother of pearl). When nanosheets of clay are used, the toughness of the resulting nanocomposite can reach 36.7 ± 3.0 megajoules per cubic metre, which is 20.4 times higher than that of natural nacre; meanwhile, the tensile strength is 1,195 ± 60 megapascals. Quantitative analysis indicates that the well aligned nanosheets form a critical interphase, and this results in the observed mechanical properties. We consider that our strategy, which could be readily extended to align a variety of two-dimensional nanofillers, could be applied to a wide range of structural composites and lead to the development of high-performance composites.
Layered nanocomposites fabricated using a continuous and scalable process achieve properties exceeding those of natural nacre, the result of stiffened matrix polymer chains confined between highly aligned nanosheets.
Journal Article
Bioinspired inner microstructured tube controlled capillary rise
Effective, long-range, and self-propelled water elevation and transport are important in industrial, medical, and agricultural applications. Although research has grown rapidly, existing methods for water film elevation are still limited. Scaling up for practical applications in an energy-efficient way remains a challenge. Inspired by the continuous water cross-boundary transport on the peristome surface of Nepenthes alata, here we demonstrate the use of peristome-mimetic structures for controlled water elevation by bending biomimetic plates into tubes. The fabricated structures have unique advantages beyond those of natural pitcher plants: bulk water diode transport behavior is achieved with a high-speed passing state (several centimeters per second on a milliliter scale) and a gating state as a result of the synergistic effect between peristome-mimetic structures and tube curvature without external energy input. Significantly, on further bending the peristome-mimetic tube into a “candy cane”-shaped pipe, a self-siphon with liquid diode behavior is achieved. Such a transport mechanism should inspire the design of next generation water transport devices.
Journal Article