Synthesis, Assembly and Characterization of Biologically-Derived Materials with Novel Physical Properties

具有新颖物理性质的生物衍生材料的合成、组装和表征

• 批准号: RGPIN-2017-04598
• 负责人: DorvalCourchesne, NoemieManuelle
• 金额: $ 3.5万
• 依托单位: McGill University
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2022
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2022-01-01 至 2023-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=747127
• 关键词: Synthesis; Assembly; Characterization; Biologically; Derived

Electronic devices are an essential part of our daily lives. They include conventional batteries, solar panels, electronic circuits in computers, responsive touch screens, and many more. Generally, these devices rely on efficient or tunable charge transport phenomena. Recently, devices have become more portable and an interest in incorporating self-powered sensors, diagnosis systems, and other electronics in wearable clothing or skin patches is growing. However, traditional methods for constructing electronic devices require energy intensive processes, and involve the use of toxic chemicals and rare earth metals. Here, as an alternative, I propose to use non-toxic biologically-derived materials to assemble biocompatible, light weight, and environmentally-friendly devices. Nature has evolved microorganisms, proteins and biopolymers with exquisite properties. For instance, some proteins can spontaneously assemble into fibrous structures, and can easily be modified through genetic engineering to tune their properties. They can also be produced at low cost and large scale using inoffensive bacteria as factories. Such protein fibers, with nanoscale dimensions, can serve as building blocks to assemble nanowire-like structures. Specifically, two different types of fibers are of interest: 1) fibers with complex nanoscale structures or assembly properties that can serve as scaffolds for conductive materials; 2) naturally conductive protein fibers produced by bacteria that could directly be used directly as conductive materials and integrated in devices.First, this research program aims at engineering naturally-derived protein fibers to modify their physical properties, and allow them to conduct charges, fluoresce, or sense specific chemicals. Combining novel physical properties with biological functions such as biocompatibility or biomolecule recognition will lead to the development of multifunctional materials. Second, this program aims at exploiting naturally conductive fibers, and at scaling-up their production in order to harvest enough conductive fibers to fabricate real-world materials, electrodes, devices, and coatings for large surfaces. In both cases, the final materials will be incorporated into functional sensors for environmental contaminants or disease markers, and into various types of energy conversion and storage devices like solar cells or batteries. Engineered protein fibers will be non-toxic and light weight, and they could be integrated in clothes, or deposited on the skin to serve as wearable electrodes. Successful completion of this work will represent significant steps towards the creation of a new generation of biocompatible and more portable electronic devices. It could lead to changes in the fabrication processes required to produce common devices, while minimizing consumers and industries environmental impact.

电子设备是我们日常生活中必不可少的一部分。它们包括传统电池、太阳能电池板、计算机电子电路、响应性触摸屏等。一般来说，这些器件依赖于有效的或可调的电荷传输现象。最近，设备变得更加便携，人们对将自供电传感器、诊断系统和其他电子设备集成到可穿戴衣服或皮肤贴片中的兴趣也在增长。然而，制造电子设备的传统方法需要能源密集型工艺，并涉及到有毒化学品和稀土金属的使用。在这里，作为替代方案，我建议使用无毒的生物衍生材料来组装生物兼容、重量轻和环境友好的设备。自然界进化出了具有精致特性的微生物、蛋白质和生物聚合物。例如，一些蛋白质可以自发地组装成纤维结构，并可以很容易地通过基因工程来改变其性质。它们也可以用无害的细菌作为工厂，以低成本和大规模的方式生产。这种具有纳米尺度的蛋白质纤维可以作为组装纳米线状结构的积木。具体地说，有两种不同类型的纤维令人感兴趣：1)具有复杂纳米结构或组装性能的纤维，可用作导电材料的支架；2)由细菌产生的天然导电蛋白质纤维，可直接用作导电材料，并集成在设备中。首先，该研究计划旨在通过设计天然衍生蛋白质纤维来改变其物理性质，并使其能够传导电荷、荧光或感应特定的化学物质。将新的物理性能与生物相容性或生物分子识别等生物功能相结合，将导致多功能材料的发展。其次，该计划旨在开发天然导电纤维，并扩大其生产规模，以获得足够的导电纤维，以制造现实世界中的材料、电极、设备和大表面涂层。在这两种情况下，最终材料都将被纳入环境污染物或疾病标志物的功能传感器，以及太阳能电池或电池等各种类型的能量转换和存储设备中。经过改造的蛋白质纤维将是无毒的、重量轻的，它们可以集成在衣服上，或者沉积在皮肤上作为可穿戴的电极。这项工作的成功完成将是朝着创造新一代生物兼容和更便携的电子设备迈出的重要一步。它可能会导致生产普通设备所需的制造工艺发生变化，同时将对消费者和行业的环境影响降至最低。