Bioinspired Materials Science

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To achieve the best energy-, time- and space-efficient performance of biological systems, nature has developed remarkable strategies that rely on self-assembly, structural hierarchy, self-shaping, and synergetic properties of individual structural components. These strategies motivate materials and polymer scientists to conduct bio-inspired research and create man-made materials with the composition and structure that follow a biological motif. Our research program aims at the development of fundamental understanding of the underlying mechanisms in the material design developed by nature. These strategies will be used to generate new, bioinspired materials with properties that either mimic, or exceed the properties of biological systems. The strength of the applicant group in polymer, colloid and materials science, nanoscience and microfluidics is vital for the proposed research. The first theme of the proposed research program includes the development of intelligent, responsive polymer materials. Being inspired by the properties of fibrous plant tissues, we will design self-shaping composite polymer materials, including gels and elastomers, explore new shape transitions governed by the pre-designed internal stresses, and develop synthetic models for self-shaping biological systems. A cluster of projects aims at the design and development of synthetic polymer analogues of biological nanofibrillar extracellular microenvironments. Our approach will utilize reversible self-assembly of cylindrical micelles of block copolymers or cellulose nanofibrils in hydrogels with controllable biophysical properties and cell-adhesive properties. The hydrogels will be used for cell encapsulation and culture. The third research theme focuses on chiral plasmonic materials, which will be generated by replicating chiral nematic structures formed by natural nanofibrils in plant tissues, and the exploration of their new optical properties. The results of the proposed research program will lead to an enhanced understanding of the design principles developed by nature in the course of evolution, will bring new strategies in materials science, and will significantly strengthen our ability to generate functional materials with advanced properties.