NSF Convergence Accelerator Track M: Biofilm-based Corrosion Control using 3D Printed Biotechnology

减轻腐蚀是一项巨大的挑战，每年花费美国近5000亿美元。目前的腐蚀控制措施主要依赖于化学涂层，往往成本高，对人类和环境健康有风险。微生物在腐蚀中起着关键作用，它们可以加速或抑制金属表面的腐蚀。在这个项目中，研究人员将开发一种用3D生物打印制造的生物涂层系统，可以应用于腐蚀控制。这种以生物为灵感的涂层设计利用了天然存在的微生物，可以强烈地抑制腐蚀。通过利用微生物和微生物生物膜的力量，该项目开发的生物涂层将为多种类型的基础设施提供持久的防腐保护，提高其弹性和可持续性。为了开发这种生物防腐涂层，研究人员假设涂层材料的化学和微生物学都需要使用3D生物打印技术进行精心设计和制造。这种生物技术的开发还需要与跨学科的学术研究人员以及来自行业和政府的专家组成的融合团队合作生产，特别是因为它可以应用于许多类型的基础设施和表面。为了实现这些目标，该第一阶段项目将(1)开发3D打印生物涂层的初步设计，(2)建立功能和自我修复的微生物生物膜可以3D生物打印的概念验证。一期生物防腐涂层系统的具体目标行业和表面包括汽车零部件、农业机械、交通和能源基础设施。这两个目标将通过学术界、工业界和政府项目合作伙伴之间的迭代和合作方式来实现。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Mitigating corrosion is a grand challenge that costs the United States nearly half a trillion dollars annually. Current corrosion control measures, which mainly rely on chemical coatings, often come with high cost and risks to human and environmental health. Microorganisms play key roles in corrosion, in which they can either accelerate or inhibit corrosion of metal surfaces. In this project, the researchers will develop a biological coating system fabricated with 3D bioprinting that can be applied for corrosion control. This bio-inspired coating design takes advantage of naturally occurring microorganisms that strongly inhibit corrosion. By harnessing the power of microorganisms and microbial biofilms, the biological coating developed through this project will provide long-lasting protection against corrosion to many types of infrastructure, improving their resilience and sustainability.To develop this biological anti-corrosion coating, the researchers hypothesize that both the chemistry and microbiology of the coating material need to be deliberately designed and fabricated using 3D bioprinting. This biotechnology development also requires co-production with a convergent team of interdisciplinary academic researchers and experts from industry and government, especially as it can be applied to many types of infrastructure and surfaces. To accomplish these goals, this Phase 1 project will (1) develop an initial design of the 3D printed biological coating, and (2) establish proof-of-concept that functional and self-healing microbial biofilms can be 3D bioprinted. Specific target industries and surfaces for the biological anti-corrosion coating system in Phase 1 include vehicle parts, agricultural machinery, and transportation and energy infrastructure. Both objectives will be carried out through an iterative and collaborative approach between the academic, industry, and government project partners.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.