Recent Advances in the Field of Bioinspired Materials and Systems

Abstract

Bioinspired and biomimetic materials have revolutionized many aspects in the engineering sciences, ranging from basic technologies to advanced applications such as the Gecko's nanostructure for sticky tapes or the sharkskin for swimming suits. Research in these subjects in Germany has been supported by several national priority research programs since 2009 (SPP 1420: Biomimetic Materials Research: Functionality by Hierarchical Structuring of Materials,[1] SPP 1569: Generation of Multifunctional Inorganic Materials by Molecular Bionics, 2012–2019[2]), which strongly accelerated developments and investigations in the field. Recently, also photonic applications of bioinspired strategies have come within reach, demonstrating the huge potential of the approach nature has chosen in many directions (SPP 1839: Tailored Disorder – A science- and engineering-based approach to materials design for advanced photonic applications, 2015–2024[3]). These developments have been accompanied by a biennial DGM Bioinspired Materials conference series, which was launched in 2012.[4] The present Advanced Functional Materials feature issue now proudly presents accompanying papers from the 6th DGM “Bioinspired Materials[5]” together with additional most recent and advanced research work pushing the limits of our exciting interdisciplinary research field. The collected perspectives, reviews and research articles represent the current state-of-the-art in the design of functional and structural materials and systems inspired by principles found in living nature. Main topics of this include the study and formation of hierarchical structures and the properties of complex-shaped biological materials. The transfer of biological principles into functional materials and systems made of organic and/or inorganic components represents a further main area. Beside synthesis and formation, the feature issue topics also include research on the functional and mechanical materials properties and the interaction of bioinspired materials with living entities. For example, van Nieuwenhoven et al.[6] give a perspective on how living nature manages a multi-purpose complex materials design on the way to high performance materials, which are also designed for an efficient and circular use of resources. Kennedy et al.[7] exemplify the importance of bioinspired fog (water) harvesting systems, which are related to the important Sustainable Development Goal SDG 6 “Clean Water and Sanitation”. Bioinspired materials also become more and more important in soft robotics as reported by Roh et al.[8] In a review on multifunctional materials inspired by sharkskin denticles, Ghimire et al.[9] report on sharkskin denticles with distinct implication for saving energy when applied to bioinspired engineering surfaces and that sharkskin denticles are inherently multifunctional comprising antifouling, protection, and bioluminescence characteristics. Biological photonics and their emulation into bioinspired approaches for advanced photonic application has become a vital field of research. This is especially true for biological systems deviating from a perfect order. It is shown in a research article by Bauernfeind et al.[10] how quasi-order is beneficial for producing stable colors with stunning spatial characteristics as observed in longhorn beetles (Sternotomis virescens). The follow-up perspective in the field of biological photonics by Vogler-Neuling et al.[11] highlights the interplay between nature's structural variety and the ultimately restricted artificial manufacturing possibilities. Since biological tissue is primarily built form biopolymers, the bioinspired adaptation to create advanced photonic materials from available biopolymers is of paramount importance for the development of environmentally benign and sustainable materials. In biopolymers, the polysaccharides cellulose and chitin take a very special role for various reasons. From a scientific point of view, their extensive cap