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Advances in Biomaterials, Biocomposites and Biopolymers 2026

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A special issue of Biomimetics (ISSN 2313-7673). This special issue belongs to the section "Biomimetics of Materials and Structures".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 July 2026) | Viewed by 9436

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Prof. Dr. Hermann Ehrlich

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Center for Advanced Technology, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego 10, 61-614 Poznan, Poland
Interests: biomaterials, chitin; chitosan; collagen, spongin; biominerals; bromotyrosines; sponges; biomimetics
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Dear Colleagues,

Biomaterials may be natural or synthetic and are used in medical applications to support, enhance, or replace damaged tissue or a biological function. The first historical use of biomaterials dates to antiquity when ancient Egyptians used sutures made from animal sinew.
A biomaterial is now defined as a substance engineered to take a form that, alone or as part of a complex system, is used to direct, by control of interactions with components of living systems, the course of any therapeutic or diagnostic procedure. It is the aim of this Special Issue to provide a peer-reviewed forum for the publication of original papers and authoritative review and opinion papers dealing with the most important issues facing the use of biomaterials in clinical practice. The scope of this Special Issue covers a wide range of physical, biological, and chemical sciences that underpin the design of biomaterials and the clinical disciplines in which they are used. These sciences include polymer synthesis and characterization, drug and gene vector design, the biology of the host response, immunology and toxicology, and self-assembly at the nanoscale. Clinical applications include medical technology and regenerative medicine therapies in all clinical disciplines, as well as diagnostic systems that rely on innovative contrast and sensing agents.
A biocomposite is a composite material formed by a matrix (resin) and a reinforcement of natural fibers. Environmental concerns and the cost of synthetic fibers have led to the foundation of using natural fiber as a reinforcement in polymeric composites. The matrix phase is formed by polymers derived from renewable and nonrenewable resources. The matrix is important as it protects the fibers from environmental degradation and mechanical damage, holds the fibers together, and transfers the loads on them. In addition, fibers are the principal components of biocomposites, which are derived from biological origins, for example, fibers from crops (cotton, flax, or hemp), recycled wood, waste paper, crop processing byproducts, or regenerated cellulose fiber (viscose/rayon). The interest in biocomposites is rapidly growing in terms of industrial applications (automobiles, railway coaches, aerospace, military applications, construction, and packaging) and fundamental research, due to its great benefits (renewable, cheap, recyclable, and biodegradable). Biocomposites can be used alone or as a complement to standard materials, such as carbon fiber. Advocates of biocomposites state that the use of these materials improves health and safety in their production, are lighter in weight, have a visual appeal similar to that of wood, and are environmentally superior.
Biopolymers are organic substances present in natural sources. The term biopolymer originates from the Greek words bio and polymer, representing nature and living organisms. Large macromolecules made up of numerous repeating units are known as biopolymers.

Prof. Dr. Hermann Ehrlich
Guest Editor

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Keywords

biomaterials
biocomposites
biopolymers
macromolecules
medical applications
self-assembly
synthetic fibers
industrial applications

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Related Special Issues

Advances in Biomaterials, Biocomposites and Biopolymers in Biomimetics (9 articles)
Advances in Biomaterials, Biocomposites and Biopolymers 2024 in Biomimetics (10 articles)

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Research

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26 pages, 25278 KB

Open AccessArticle

Regression-Based Prediction of Surface Microgeometry in Biopolymers Processed for Dental Applications

by Ján Duplák and Samuel Mikuláško

Biomimetics 2026, 11(6), 375; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomimetics11060375 - 29 May 2026

Viewed by 352

Abstract

This study focuses on streamlining the manufacturing process for milling dental prosthetic components from biopolymer materials in order to achieve the best possible surface roughness. Various combinations of cutting parameters were systematically tested in experiments, and their impact on the final surface roughness of the material was analyzed. The study provides a comprehensive view of how variations in cutting speed, feed per tooth and cutting depth affect the final surface quality. The results show that the appropriate configuration of cutting parameters can significantly improve surface roughness, reducing the need for additional finishing and increasing production efficiency. The findings provide valuable information for the manufacture of polymer-based dental prosthetic components, support process optimization, and contribute to the development of accurate and reproducible computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) manufacturing procedures. A full factorial design of experiments (DoE) approach was applied to evaluate the influence of cutting speed, feed per tooth, and cutting depth on the resulting surface roughness. The results confirmed that feed per tooth represented the most influential machining parameter affecting the resulting Ra values. The optimized cutting conditions resulted in the lowest surface roughness and improved process stability compared to manufacturer-recommended machining conditions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Biomaterials, Biocomposites and Biopolymers 2026)

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10 pages, 1788 KB

Open AccessCommunication

Comparing Laboratory and Synchrotron X-Ray CT for Structural Analysis of PEEK Orthopedic Implants

by Meili Qi, Yanwei Zhao, Jinwen Chen, Shengtao Zhang, Jie Zhang and Xu Zhang

Biomimetics 2026, 11(5), 357; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomimetics11050357 - 21 May 2026

Viewed by 449

Abstract

Polyetheretherketone (PEEK) is widely employed in orthopedic applications due to its bone-mimetic mechanical properties and excellent biocompatibility, establishing it as a promising candidate for bone repair and regeneration. However, the investigation of structural integrity and microstructural features of PEEK implants has remained limited owing to its low atomic number (Z < 8) and hierarchical microstructure. This study presents a comparative characterization of PEEK implants by integrating laboratory X-ray computed tomography (CT) and synchrotron X-ray phase-contrast tomography (SXCT). Laboratory X-ray CT, operating on absorption contrast mechanisms, demonstrates adequate capacity for visualizing macroscopic defects and pore architectures, but exhibits limitations in resolving subtle density variations. In contrast, SXCT, employing phase-contrast imaging, significantly enhances discrimination of ultra-low-contrast features, including interconnected pore networks and localized density gradients. This work elucidates the complementary advantages and inherent limitations of both the imaging modalities for characterizing PEEK-based biomaterials. Furthermore, it demonstrates the potential extensibility of this comparative approach to other polymer composites, offering a methodology to investigate material–tissue interactions in orthopedic research and advancing the development of next-generation implantable devices. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Biomaterials, Biocomposites and Biopolymers 2026)

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26 pages, 20141 KB

Open AccessArticle

Evaluation of the Biological Response to Coating 3D-Printed PLA Scaffolds with Coaxial Gelatin-Based Electrospun Fibers

by Cristian Enrique Torres-Salcido, Aída Gutiérrez-Alejandre, Jesús Ángel Arenas-Alatorre, Janeth Serrano-Bello, Vincenzo Guarino and Marco Antonio Alvarez-Perez

Biomimetics 2026, 11(5), 356; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomimetics11050356 - 20 May 2026

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1088

Abstract

Bone grafting remains limited, and the strategies to design even more structurally complex scaffolds—able to reproduce the hierarchical architecture of bone extracellular matrix—are rapidly growing. In this study, we report the fabrication of a hierarchically structured scaffold produced by layering poly(ε-caprolactone)/gelatin (PCL/Gt) or poly(lactic acid)/gelatin (PLA/Gt) electrospun nanofibers via coaxial electrospinning onto 3D-printed poly(lactic acid) (PLA) scaffolds via fused deposition modeling (FDM). After the printing process, PLA disks (10 × 1 mm, 20% infill, ~80% porosity, pore size ~1.57 mm) were coated with core/shell (PCL/Gt, PLA/Gt) fibers to investigate the in vitro interfacial response of osteoblasts in comparison with monocomponent fibrous coatings (PCL, PLA, Gt). SEM and TEM confirmed that core/shell fibers exhibited bead-free morphologies, with a significant reduction in fiber diameter (≈287–316 nm) and higher interfibrillar porosity compared to monocomponent fibers. FTIR and thermogravimetric analyses indicated the presence of hydrogen bonding between the polyester and gelatin, and the absence of residual solvent after deposition. At the same time, water contact angle measurements confirmed an increase in hydrophilic properties from 80–86° to 120° ascribable to the presence of gelatin. Accordingly, in vitro response of human fetal osteoblasts (hFOB 1.19) exhibited an evident improvement in the case of Gt-based fibrous coatings (i.e., PCL/Gt and PLA/Gt) in terms of early adhesion (4–24 h) and metabolic activity from 3 to 21 days, cell spreading into star-shaped morphologies, formation of extracellular matrix, and mineral phase deposition. In more detail, a remarkable increase in alkaline phosphatase activity was observed in Gt-based coaxial coatings from day 7 onward, with the highest values recorded for PLA/Gt. Overall, we demonstrated that the Gt-based coaxial fibrous coating provided a mix of topological and biochemical cues that synergistically promoted key osteoblast activities at the interface, supporting the regeneration of new bone tissue in highly tailored 3D-printed scaffolds, thus suggesting a promising strategy for personalized regenerative medicine. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Biomaterials, Biocomposites and Biopolymers 2026)

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20 pages, 4022 KB

Open AccessArticle

Hierarchical PLGA/PEG Barrier Engineering of Alginate Hydrogels: Scale-Dependent Burst-Release Control in Beads and Microgels

by Junseok Lee, Heeyoung Lee, Myeongjun Kim, Dae Gyu Song, Jaewon Jang, Jeong Koo Kim and Hong Jin Choi

Biomimetics 2026, 11(5), 353; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomimetics11050353 - 20 May 2026

Viewed by 669

Abstract

Alginate hydrogels offer mild ionic gelation and tunable porosity for drug delivery, yet their hydrophilic, macroporous networks suffer from rapid initial burst release of water-soluble payloads. Here we introduce a hierarchical barrier-engineering strategy in which poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide)/poly(ethylene glycol) (PLGA/PEG) blend coatings are applied via dip-coating to Ca²⁺-cross-linked alginate beads (~1 mm) and microgels (~100 µm). For beads, three-cycle PLGA/PEG multilayer coating suppressed the initial swelling rate (dQ/dt) by ~50% and reduced 1 h burst release from >85% to ~60%, functioning as an “early-burst buffer” rather than a long-term depot. For microgels, a single PLGA/PEG layer partially attenuated burst release; however, an additional PLGA outer shell (double-barrier architecture) shifted the release-governing mechanism from swelling-dominated to diffusion-barrier-dominated control, limiting 10 min release to <10%. Core–shell formation was verified by confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM/EDS), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS); thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) showed ~73–79% coating retention after 9 days in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS, 37 °C). A vacuum re-loading process further improved encapsulation efficiency (>50% for beads, >20% for microgels) without compromising gel integrity. In beads, burst control was governed by swelling suppression; in microgels, the additional PLGA shell shifted control to diffusion-barrier-dominated release, demonstrating that barrier architecture must be adapted to particle scale. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Biomaterials, Biocomposites and Biopolymers 2026)

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19 pages, 26255 KB

Open AccessArticle

Comparative Study on the Surface Properties of Synthetic Carbonated Hydroxyapatite and Natural Hydroxyapatite Before and After Contact with Solutions with de- and Remineralization Activity

by Radost Ilieva, Ivalina Avramova, Ognyan Petrov and Diana Rabadjieva

Biomimetics 2026, 11(5), 338; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomimetics11050338 - 12 May 2026

Viewed by 877

Abstract

Understanding the differences between synthetic and natural hydroxyapatite under conditions that mimic the oral environment, particularly the demineralization and remineralization processes of dental enamel, is essential for assessing their suitability as enamel models in biomineralization studies. The present study aims to systematically compare the structural, chemical, and morphological properties of well-crystallized synthetic carbonated hydroxyapatite (CHA) and natural non-biogenic hydroxyapatite (HA) before and after exposure to solutions with demineralizing and remineralizing activity. Two highly informative surface characterization techniques—X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM)—were employed to examine the resulting surface changes. In addition, powder X-ray diffraction and infrared analyses were used to characterize the initial samples. Demineralization was induced using a lactic acid-based solution, while remineralization was performed through a two-step treatment involving polycarboxybetaine followed by artificial saliva. The results show that natural HA contains an additional fluorapatite phase and a wider range of trace elements (Na, F, Si), leading to a more complex structure. During demineralization, synthetic CHA exhibits more pronounced surface changes and faster dissolution, whereas natural HA demonstrates greater chemical stability. The remineralization process leads to the formation of new surface layers on both materials. Synthetic CHA develops a fine-grained, homogeneous layer enriched in carbonate and hydrated species, while natural HA shows localized crystal growth within structural defects. The results demonstrate that natural HA exhibits greater chemical stability during demineralization and a more enamel-like response during remineralization, whereas synthetic CHA undergoes more pronounced surface restructuring and forms a highly hydrated, carbonate-rich surface layer. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Biomaterials, Biocomposites and Biopolymers 2026)

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20 pages, 3371 KB

Open AccessArticle

Synergistic Valorization of Hevea brasiliensis-Derived Spent Mushroom Substrate and Elaeis guineensis Fibers for Energy-Efficient Biocomposite Thermal Insulation Panels

by Mohammad Aliff Shakir, Junfeng Zhu, Abdul Khalil H.P.S. and Mardiana Idayu Ahmad

Biomimetics 2026, 11(5), 329; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomimetics11050329 - 8 May 2026

Viewed by 744

Abstract

Nature-inspired material design has gained increasing attention in the development of sustainable biocomposites for applications requiring the integration of structural performance and functional efficiency. However, many lignocellulosic composites still depend on synthetic binders and fail to achieve a strong effective interaction between constituents, resulting in suboptimal mechanical integrity and thermal behavior while limiting their environmental advantages. This study aims to develop binderless biocomposite panels from Hevea brasiliensis-derived spent mushroom substrate (SMS) and Elaeis guineensis empty fruit bunch (EFB) fibers, emphasizing the synergistic interaction between components for energy-efficient building applications. Chemical characterization revealed complementary roles, with EFB contributing a high cellulose content (57.60%) for reinforcement and SMS providing a higher lignin content (30.51%) for enhanced rigidity and natural binding. Panels were fabricated via hot pressing at a target density of 0.8 g/cm³ without additives. Mechanical properties were evaluated through specific flexural, tensile, internal bond, and impact testing, while thermal conductivity and thickness swelling were used to assess functional performance. The 60% SMS with 40% EFB composition exhibited optimal performance, achieving a specific flexural strength of 20.26 MPa, a flexural modulus of 1943.76 MPa, tensile strength of 6.12 MPa, an internal bond strength of 2.06 MPa, an impact strength of 15.35 kJ/m², a thickness swelling of 44.80%, and a thermal conductivity of 0.234 W/m.K. These results demonstrate that the combined effect of SMS and EFB in binderless biocomposites derived from secondary products offers a promising biomimetic pathway for designing recyclable, high-performance materials suitable for sustainable and energy-efficient construction systems. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Biomaterials, Biocomposites and Biopolymers 2026)

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21 pages, 2526 KB

Open AccessArticle

From Waste to Value: Fruit Biofillers in Biodegradable Composite Materials

by Smaro Kyroglou, Antigoni G. Margellou, Konstantinos S. Triantafyllidis and Patroklos Vareltzis

Biomimetics 2026, 11(4), 274; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomimetics11040274 - 15 Apr 2026

Viewed by 1085

Abstract

This study addresses the urgent need for sustainable alternatives to single-use plastics by developing biodegradable composites from peach and apple processing waste employing hot compression molding. Utilizing a definitive screening design, the impact of the process variables, including recipe composition, grinding size, pressure, temperature, and holding time, on the physical (including water resistance) and mechanical properties of the composites was systematically evaluated. Physicochemical and thermal analyses of the dried by-products indicated that processing temperatures below 150 °C prevent the degradation of lignocellulosic constituents. The results demonstrated that increasing both the molding pressure and holding time decreased the composite thickness, while enhancing the stiffness and flexural strength, with modulus of elasticity values exceeding 1000 MPa under optimal conditions. Higher molding temperatures reduced water absorption and diffusivity, particularly in lignin-rich composites, by promoting lignin softening and particle consolidation, resulting in denser structures with limited moisture transport. Biodegradability was assessed through soil burial tests over 200 days, revealing a weight loss ranging from 54.2% to 90.7% among samples, with apple-based composites exhibiting greater degradation compared to peach-based ones. Overall, the study highlights the development of a “green composite” formulation inspired by biomimetic principles, exploiting the natural self-bonding capacity of lignocellulosic biomass, where two different-in-composition biowastes are combined to produce a plastic-free composite material with possible applications in the foodservice industry. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Biomaterials, Biocomposites and Biopolymers 2026)

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44 pages, 45025 KB

Open AccessArticle

Influence of Graphite, Boron, Zirconium, and Hydroxyapatite Reinforcements on the Mechanostructure of Polyaryletheretherketone–Matrix Hybrid Composites

by Bunyamin Aksakal, Cevher Kursat Macit, Yusuf Er and Merve Ayik

Biomimetics 2026, 11(3), 203; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomimetics11030203 - 10 Mar 2026

Viewed by 828

Abstract

Polyether ether ketone (PEEK) is a high-performance thermoplastic with potential applications in aerospace, automotive, and biomedical components, owing to its exceptional specific strength, thermal stability, and biocompatibility. However, its moderate hardness and limited wear resistance in dry sliding severely constrain its use in highly loaded tribological contacts. In this study, PEEK-based reinforced hybrid composites were produced utilizing a powder metallurgy technique, with reinforcement fractions of 10 wt.% graphite (Gr), boron (B), hydroxyapatite (HAp), and zirconium (Zr). The processing sequence included homogeneous wet-mixing, uniaxial cold compaction at pressures of 10–30 MPa, and sintering at 250–300 °C. The composition and microstructures were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). Mechanical and tribological performances were assessed by Vickers microhardness, uniaxial compression and dry sliding wear tests. The best-performing Gr-B hybrid composite increased hardness by 240% and compressive strength by 175% compared with unreinforced PEEK. Tribologically, boron-containing PEEK demonstrated up to a 34.7% reduction in the coefficient of friction and approximately a 90% drop in wear-induced mass loss compared with unreinforced PEEK. The resulting Gr-B-reinforced PEEK hybrids are excellent choices for demanding load-bearing and tribological components like aerospace bushings, automotive sliding elements, spinal cages, and orthopedic fixation devices in biomedical applications because of their balanced combination of high hardness, superior wear resistance, and high compressive strength. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Biomaterials, Biocomposites and Biopolymers 2026)

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Review

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13 pages, 1361 KB

Open AccessReview

Calcium Hypophosphite: A New Active Ingredient for Biomimetic Oral Care

by Joachim Enax, Pascal Fandrich, Erik Schulze zur Wiesche and Bennett T. Amaechi

Biomimetics 2026, 11(6), 403; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomimetics11060403 - 8 Jun 2026

Viewed by 671

Abstract

Hypophosphites (also known as phosphinates) are the salts of hypophosphorous acid (also known as phosphinic acid), H₃PO₂. Various hypophosphite salts are known such as calcium hypophosphite (Ca(H₂PO₂)₂) and sodium hypophosphite (Na(H₂PO₂)). Hypophosphites were proposed as a potential treatment for tuberculosis as early as the 1850s; however, they were found to be ineffective against this disease. Following this, there was a period of around 100 years during which no new studies on hypophosphites were published. Subsequent in vitro studies have shown that hypophosphites can be used as potential antibacterial food preservatives. Currently, calcium hypophosphite is used in commercial food supplements for children, as this compound is a suitable source of calcium ions. It also has other advantageous properties, including exceptionally high water solubility (154 g/L at 25 °C), a neutral taste, a high mass fraction of calcium per molecule (23.6%), and an excellent safety profile. Recent studies have shown its potential as an active ingredient in the field of oral care. Since biological mechanisms such as tooth and bone formation and natural remineralization due to saliva rely on calcium ions, calcium hypophosphite can be regarded as a biomimetic agent. Upon contact with phosphate from saliva, calcium hypophosphite forms hydroxyapatite; this imitation of physiological mineralization and crystallization processes in the human body further underlines its biomimetic character. This review summarizes and discusses the available literature on hypophosphites in human health and related fields. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Biomaterials, Biocomposites and Biopolymers 2026)

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17 pages, 1568 KB

Open AccessReview

Biomimetic Design of Dental Restorative Materials: Conceptual Framework and Translational Challenges

by Tasneem Alluhaidan, Benjamin Hung, Masoumah Qaw, Isadora M. Garcia and Mary Anne S. Melo

Biomimetics 2026, 11(4), 256; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomimetics11040256 - 7 Apr 2026

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1761

Abstract

Biomimetics in dental restorative materials has gradually shifted from simply copying the appearance of natural teeth to better understanding how those tissues actually behave. Instead of focusing only on aesthetics, there is now more attention on how enamel and dentin function in real conditions, how they respond to stress, interact with their surroundings, and change over time. Because of this, newer materials are no longer just passive fillers; they are being designed to reflect aspects of natural tooth structure, composition, and behavior within the oral environment. This review brings together key ideas in this area, recent developments, and the challenges that remain. One issue that often comes up is how terms like bioinspired, biomimetic, and bioactive are used. They are sometimes treated as if they mean the same thing, but in practice, they point to different goals or levels of complexity in material design. For instance, some studies focus on creating more organized composite structures or mimicking natural mineralization processes, while others focus on antibacterial surfaces or peptide-based approaches that may support remineralization. There is also growing interest in materials that respond to environmental changes, such as shifts in pH or the early stages of wear. Even with promising laboratory results, these materials are not yet widely used in everyday clinical practice. Several issues continue to slow their adoption, including unclear terminology, limited availability of testing models that reflect real oral conditions, and a lack of long-term clinical data. Part of the challenge lies in the lack of consistent terminology, which can make it harder to compare findings across studies. Manufacturing challenges also remain, particularly when scaling up more complex systems. Moving forward, progress will depend on closer collaboration across disciplines, including materials science, oral biology, microbiology, and digital manufacturing. Such efforts will be important for developing restorative materials that behave more like natural tissues and perform reliably over time inside the mouth. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Biomaterials, Biocomposites and Biopolymers 2026)

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