Fluidic Assembly of Hierarchical Soft Materials and Devices

分层软材料和器件的流体组装

• 批准号: RGPIN-2017-06781
• 负责人: Guenther, Axel
• 金额: $ 2.35万
• 依托单位: University of Toronto
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2019
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2019-01-01 至 2020-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=684489
• 关键词: Fluidic; Assembly; Hierarchical; Soft; Materials

Additive manufacturing approaches have gained broad interest in the context of a variety of very different applications. One of the most challenging yet unmet goals with widespread technological applications is the additive assembly of natural biopolymers in ways that resemble their hierarchical, multiscale organization in living systems. My proposed research program aims at systematically studying the interplay between the different transport processes responsible for the flowable preparation of aligned biopolymeric planar and tubular constructs with very large aspect ratios (>3,000) and unusually high tensile properties (Young's modulus >10MPa). Much of the work initially focuses on collagens but is more broadly applicable to different fibrillar biopolymers. We will utilize a combination of analytical and numerical approaches in combination with in situ experiments to quantitatively assess the relevant time scales for the individual flow, transport and assembly processes, and their scaling behavior. We aim at utilizing the gained understanding to further increase the Young's modulus of the aligned sheets by at least tenfold. By integrating aligned sheet formation with additive manufacturing approaches we aim for the first time to routinely form centimeter-scale, hollow and load bearing structures from protein-based biomaterials. We will develop robust and massively scalable biohybrid fluidic interfaces that will allow the consistent external perfusion as well as the (internal) self-perfusion of biopolymeric structures and their assemblies.

增材制造方法在各种非常不同的应用环境中获得了广泛的兴趣。在广泛的技术应用中，最具挑战性但尚未实现的目标之一是将天然生物聚合物以类似于生命系统中分层、多尺度组织的方式进行添加剂组装。我提出的研究计划旨在系统地研究不同传输过程之间的相互作用，这些过程负责可流动制备排列生物聚合物的平面和管状结构，具有非常大的宽高比（bbb30,000）和异常高的拉伸性能（杨氏模量>,10MPa）。大部分工作最初集中在胶原蛋白上，但更广泛地适用于不同的纤维生物聚合物。我们将利用分析和数值方法的结合，结合现场实验，定量评估单个流动，运输和组装过程的相关时间尺度及其缩放行为。我们的目标是利用所获得的理解，进一步增加杨氏模量的对齐片至少十倍。通过将排列薄片形成与增材制造方法相结合，我们的目标是首次将蛋白质生物材料常规地形成厘米级、中空和承重结构。我们将开发强大的和大规模可扩展的生物混合流体界面，这将允许生物聚合物结构及其组件的一致的外部灌注和（内部）自灌注。