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Nanomaterials
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Bio-Inspired Functional Nanomaterials
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Bio-Inspired Functional Nanomaterials

A special issue of Nanomaterials (ISSN 2079-4991). This special issue belongs to the section "Synthesis, Interfaces and Nanostructures".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 October 2022) | Viewed by 20110

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Emanuela Gatto

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Department of Chemical Science and Technologies, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Rome, Italy
2. Splastica srl, Spinoff and Innovative Startup, Roma, RM, Italy
Interests: bio-inspired materials; hierarchical self-assembly; hybrid materials; supramolecular architectures; nanomaterials; biopolymers; artificial photosynthesis

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The design and processing of innovative nanoscale bio-inspired materials is of great interest for applications in nanotechnology that include medicine, sensors, microfluidics, catalysis, pharmaceutics, and “green energy” by photovoltaics. Therefore, novel materials with specific functionalities can be designed, using the same building blocks that nature uses, combined with nanotechnology—that is, the possibility to control and manipulate matter on nanometric length scales.

This issue focuses on the fundamentals of bio-inspired multifunctional nanostructured materials, which can be used to obtain green, affordable, and environmentally sustainable multifunctional 2D and 3D micro- and nanotextured interfaces. These sustainable materials can find applications in the electronics, sensing, tissue engineering, drug delivery, smart materials, photocatalytic, and bioengineering areas.

We invite researchers to contribute original research papers as well as review and perspective articles that draw inspiration from nature in developing materials with unique properties, such as miniaturization, hierarchical organization, and adaptability.

Potential topics include but are not limited to the following:

  • Bio-inspired supramolecular assemblies obtained by self-assembly;
  • 2D supramolecular assemblies obtained by Langmuir–Blodgett or other deposition techniques;
  • Polymer, hybrid, and composite materials: 2D and 3D surface structuring for cell interaction studies;
  • Design of multifunctional nanohybrids for chemical sensors and or biosensors;
  • Biopolymer-based bioplastic;
  • Nanofabrication and surface texturing methods, including coatings and surface and interface chemical and physical engineering, modification, and functionalization, including characterization and analysis;
  • Smart and/or functional nanointerfaces, nano- and micropatterning of biological compounds, natural and synthetic polymers for bioplatforms, microfluidics, and sensors;
  • Cell–biomimetic hierarchical nano- and microstructured interfaces;
  • Design of multifunctional nanohybrids interfaces for tissue repair and drug mediated release;
  • Design of multifunctional nanohybrids for photocatalytic/environmental applications;
  • Design of bio-inspired materials for drug delivery;
  • Tuning materials nano- and/or nano–microarchitectural characteristics for sensing, biorelated, and environmental applications.

Dr. Emanuela Gatto
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Nanomaterials is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • bio-inspired materials
  • hierarchical self-assembly
  • hybrid materials
  • supramolecular architectures
  • nanomaterials
  • nanostructures
  • biopolymers

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

Jump to: Review

15 pages, 4013 KiB  
Article
Non-Conventional Peptide Self-Assembly into a Conductive Supramolecular Rope
by Nicola Forlano, Raffaella Bucci, Alessandro Contini, Mariano Venanzi, Ernesto Placidi, Maria Luisa Gelmi, Raffaella Lettieri and Emanuela Gatto
Nanomaterials 2023, 13(2), 333; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano13020333 - 13 Jan 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1961
Abstract
Structures composed of alternating α and β amino acids can give rise to peculiar secondary structural motifs, which could self-assemble into complex structures of controlled geometries. This work describes the self-assembly properties of an α,β-peptide, containing three units of syn H2-(2-F-Phe)-h-PheGly-OH, able to [...] Read more.
Structures composed of alternating α and β amino acids can give rise to peculiar secondary structural motifs, which could self-assemble into complex structures of controlled geometries. This work describes the self-assembly properties of an α,β-peptide, containing three units of syn H2-(2-F-Phe)-h-PheGly-OH, able to self-organize on surfaces into a fascinating supramolecular rope. This material was characterized by AFM, electronic conduction and fluorescence measurements. Molecular dynamics simulations showed that this hexapeptide can self-assemble into an antiparallel β-sheet layer, stabilized by intermolecular H-bonds, which, in turn, can self-assemble into many side-by-side layers, due to π-π interactions. As a matter of fact, we demonstrated that in this system, the presence of aromatic residues at the intramolecular interface promoted by the alternation of α,β-amino-acids in the primary sequence, endorses the formation of a super-secondary structure where the aromatic groups are close to each other, conferring to the system good electron conduction properties. This work demonstrates the capability and future potential of designing and fabricating distinctive nanostructures and efficient bioelectronic interfaces based on an α,β-peptide, by controlling structure and interaction processes beyond those obtained with α- or β-peptides alone. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bio-Inspired Functional Nanomaterials)
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18 pages, 1755 KiB  
Article
Soft, Formstable (Co)Polyester Blend Elastomers
by Axel T. Neffe, Victor Izraylit, Paul J. Hommes-Schattmann and Andreas Lendlein
Nanomaterials 2021, 11(6), 1472; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano11061472 - 1 Jun 2021
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3479
Abstract
High crystallization rate and thermomechanical stability make polylactide stereocomplexes effective nanosized physical netpoints. Here, we address the need for soft, form-stable degradable elastomers for medical applications by designing such blends from (co)polyesters, whose mechanical properties are ruled by their nanodimensional architecture and which [...] Read more.
High crystallization rate and thermomechanical stability make polylactide stereocomplexes effective nanosized physical netpoints. Here, we address the need for soft, form-stable degradable elastomers for medical applications by designing such blends from (co)polyesters, whose mechanical properties are ruled by their nanodimensional architecture and which are applied as single components in implants. By careful controlling of the copolymer composition and sequence structure of poly[(L-lactide)-co-(ε-caprolactone)], it is possible to prepare hyperelastic polymer blends formed through stereocomplexation by adding poly(D-lactide) (PDLA). Low glass transition temperature Tg ≤ 0 °C of the mixed amorphous phase contributes to the low Young’s modulus E. The formation of stereocomplexes is shown in DSC by melting transitions Tm > 190 °C and in WAXS by distinct scattering maxima at 2θ = 12° and 21°. Tensile testing demonstrated that the blends are soft (E = 12–80 MPa) and show an excellent hyperelastic recovery Rrec = 66–85% while having high elongation at break εb up to >1000%. These properties of the blends are attained only when the copolymer has 56–62 wt% lactide content, a weight average molar mass >140 kg·mol−1, and number average lactide sequence length ≥4.8, while the blend is formed with a content of 5–10 wt% of PDLA. The devised strategy to identify a suitable copolymer for stereocomplexation and blend formation is transferable to further polymer systems and will support the development of thermoplastic elastomers suitable for medical applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bio-Inspired Functional Nanomaterials)
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Review

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32 pages, 16869 KiB  
Review
Advances in Biomimetic Nerve Guidance Conduits for Peripheral Nerve Regeneration
by Faranak Mankavi, Rana Ibrahim and Hongjun Wang
Nanomaterials 2023, 13(18), 2528; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano13182528 - 10 Sep 2023
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2521
Abstract
Injuries to the peripheral nervous system are a common clinical issue, causing dysfunctions of the motor and sensory systems. Surgical interventions such as nerve autografting are necessary to repair damaged nerves. Even with autografting, i.e., the gold standard, malfunctioning and mismatches between the [...] Read more.
Injuries to the peripheral nervous system are a common clinical issue, causing dysfunctions of the motor and sensory systems. Surgical interventions such as nerve autografting are necessary to repair damaged nerves. Even with autografting, i.e., the gold standard, malfunctioning and mismatches between the injured and donor nerves often lead to unwanted failure. Thus, there is an urgent need for a new intervention in clinical practice to achieve full functional recovery. Nerve guidance conduits (NGCs), providing physicochemical cues to guide neural regeneration, have great potential for the clinical regeneration of peripheral nerves. Typically, NGCs are tubular structures with various configurations to create a microenvironment that induces the oriented and accelerated growth of axons and promotes neuron cell migration and tissue maturation within the injured tissue. Once the native neural environment is better understood, ideal NGCs should maximally recapitulate those key physiological attributes for better neural regeneration. Indeed, NGC design has evolved from solely physical guidance to biochemical stimulation. NGC fabrication requires fundamental considerations of distinct nerve structures, the associated extracellular compositions (extracellular matrices, growth factors, and cytokines), cellular components, and advanced fabrication technologies that can mimic the structure and morphology of native extracellular matrices. Thus, this review mainly summarizes the recent advances in the state-of-the-art NGCs in terms of biomaterial innovations, structural design, and advanced fabrication technologies and provides an in-depth discussion of cellular responses (adhesion, spreading, and alignment) to such biomimetic cues for neural regeneration and repair. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bio-Inspired Functional Nanomaterials)
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14 pages, 1996 KiB  
Review
Upscaling of Carbon-Based Perovskite Solar Module
by Maurizio Stefanelli, Luigi Vesce and Aldo Di Carlo
Nanomaterials 2023, 13(2), 313; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano13020313 - 12 Jan 2023
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 4680
Abstract
Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) and modules are driving the energy revolution in the coming photovoltaic field. In the last 10 years, PSCs reached efficiency close to the silicon photovoltaic technology by adopting low-cost solution processes. Despite this, the noble metal (such as gold [...] Read more.
Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) and modules are driving the energy revolution in the coming photovoltaic field. In the last 10 years, PSCs reached efficiency close to the silicon photovoltaic technology by adopting low-cost solution processes. Despite this, the noble metal (such as gold and silver) used in PSCs as a counter electrode made these devices costly in terms of energy, CO2 footprint, and materials. Carbon-based perovskite solar cells (C-PSCs) and modules use graphite/carbon-black-based material as the counter electrode. The formulation of low-cost carbon-based inks and pastes makes them suitable for large area coating techniques and hence a solid technology for imminent industrialization. Here, we want to present the upscaling routes of carbon-counter-electrode-based module devices in terms of materials formulation, architectures, and manufacturing processes in order to give a clear vision of the scaling route and encourage the research in this green and sustainable direction. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bio-Inspired Functional Nanomaterials)
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13 pages, 1072 KiB  
Review
Catalytically Active Amyloids as Future Bionanomaterials
by Rodrigo Diaz-Espinoza
Nanomaterials 2022, 12(21), 3802; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano12213802 - 28 Oct 2022
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 1513
Abstract
Peptides and proteins can aggregate into highly ordered and structured conformations called amyloids. These supramolecular structures generally have convergent features, such as the formation of intermolecular beta sheets, that lead to fibrillary architectures. The resulting fibrils have unique mechanical properties that can be [...] Read more.
Peptides and proteins can aggregate into highly ordered and structured conformations called amyloids. These supramolecular structures generally have convergent features, such as the formation of intermolecular beta sheets, that lead to fibrillary architectures. The resulting fibrils have unique mechanical properties that can be exploited to develop novel nanomaterials. In recent years, sequences of small peptides have been rationally designed to self-assemble into amyloids that catalyze several chemical reactions. These amyloids exhibit reactive surfaces that can mimic the active sites of enzymes. In this review, I provide a state-of-the-art summary of the development of catalytically active amyloids. I will focus especially on catalytic activities mediated by hydrolysis, which are the most studied examples to date, as well as novel types of recently reported activities that promise to expand the possible repertoires. The combination of mechanical properties with catalytic activity in an amyloid scaffold has great potential for the development of future bionanomaterials aimed at specific applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bio-Inspired Functional Nanomaterials)
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21 pages, 5937 KiB  
Review
Peptide Self-Assembled Nanostructures: From Models to Therapeutic Peptides
by Emanuela Gatto, Claudio Toniolo and Mariano Venanzi
Nanomaterials 2022, 12(3), 466; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano12030466 - 28 Jan 2022
Cited by 18 | Viewed by 4343
Abstract
Self-assembly is the most suitable approach to obtaining peptide-based materials on the nano- and mesoscopic scales. Applications span from peptide drugs for personalized therapy to light harvesting and electron conductive media for solar energy production and bioelectronics, respectively. In this study, we will [...] Read more.
Self-assembly is the most suitable approach to obtaining peptide-based materials on the nano- and mesoscopic scales. Applications span from peptide drugs for personalized therapy to light harvesting and electron conductive media for solar energy production and bioelectronics, respectively. In this study, we will discuss the self-assembly of selected model and bioactive peptides, in particular reviewing our recent work on the formation of peptide architectures of nano- and mesoscopic size in solution and on solid substrates. The hierarchical and cooperative characters of peptide self-assembly will be highlighted, focusing on the structural and dynamical properties of the peptide building blocks and on the nature of the intermolecular interactions driving the aggregation phenomena in a given environment. These results will pave the way for the understanding of the still-debated mechanism of action of an antimicrobial peptide (trichogin GA IV) and the pharmacokinetic properties of a peptide drug (semaglutide) currently in use for the therapy of type-II diabetes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bio-Inspired Functional Nanomaterials)
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