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

缓解腐蚀是一项巨大的挑战，美国每年要花费近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可以应用于腐蚀控制的3D生物打印生物涂层系统。这种以生物为灵感的涂层设计利用了自然产生的微生物，这种微生物强烈抑制腐蚀。通过利用微生物和微生物生物膜的力量，通过该项目开发的生物涂层将为许多类型的基础设施提供持久的防腐保护，提高它们的弹性和可持续性。研究人员假设，为了开发这种生物防腐涂层，涂层材料的化学和微生物都需要精心设计和使用3D生物打印来制造。这种生物技术的发展还需要与来自行业和政府的跨学科学术研究人员和专家组成的汇聚团队共同生产，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，这个第一阶段项目将(1)开发3D打印生物涂层的初步设计，以及(2)建立概念证明，即功能和自我修复的微生物生物膜可以被3D生物打印。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、农业机械以及交通和能源基础设施。这两个目标都将通过学术、行业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NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势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.