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Biomimetics
Special Issues
Biological and Bioinspired Materials and Structures
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Biological and Bioinspired Materials and Structures

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 (31 August 2024) | Viewed by 13075

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Lin Gan

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Guest Editor
Chongqing Key Laboratory of Soft-Matter Material Chemistry and Function Manufacturing, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
Interests: structural materials; advanced manufacturing; flexible sensors; nanocomposites and nanotechnology; functional polymers; surface modification; assembly and coassembly; biomass materials
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Jin Huang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Chongqing Key Laboratory of Soft-Matter Material Chemistry and Function Manufacturing, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
Interests: soft matter; complex multicomponent systems; self-assembly and self-organization; bionic fabrication and advanced manufacturing; smart materials and flexible devices; structure–function integration; scale effects and dimensional effects; nanomaterials and nanotechnology; surface chemistry of natural nanocrystals; biomaterials; drug delivery and bioimaging diagnosis
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Guang Yang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
State Key Laboratory of Separation Membranes and Membrane Processes, School of Textile Science and Engineering, Tiangong University, Tianjin 300387, China
Interests: nanomaterials and nanotechnology; soft bioelectronics; self-healing polymeric materials; surface engineering of functional materials; bionic structure and advanced manufacturing; structure–function integration
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Learning from nature is always worthwhile, especially for learning its strategies of fabrication and manufacturing. Inspired by biology, researchers have proposed a great number of structural materials demonstrating high performance, but their methods of preparation may not be as smart or effective as natural ones. Thus, the aim of this Special Issue is to collect contributions from different laboratories working on biomimetic fabrication and manufacturing. By covering issues ranging from structural materials and metamaterials to photonic crystals, separation membranes, sensors, and smart polymers, this Special Issue offers an updated view of the status quo and perspectives in a rapidly developing area of technology and application research. The present collection of papers, taking advantage of the open-access format, is expected to provide a paradigm of the power of biomimetic approaches for discovering new and important research avenues, as well as innovative solutions in materials and manufacturing.

To further its aims of combining basic research and applications, this Special Issue is divided into two main parts as follows:

Part (a) Materials, covering topics such as bioinspired materials; biomimetic structures; biomimetic manufacturing; mechanical biomimetics; molecular biomimetics; functional biomimetics; smart materials; and hierarchical structure design.

Part (b) Applications, including optical measuring; gas analysis; electric sensors; acoustic devices; microrobots; wearable devices; and medical supplies.

We believe that this initiative will bridge an important gap in biomimetic fabrication and manufacturing, and will stimulate the enthusiastic contributions of leading experts within this field.

Dr. Lin Gan
Prof. Dr. Jin Huang
Prof. Dr. Guang Yang
Guest Editors

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. Biomimetics is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly 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 2200 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

  • biomimetic structures
  • biofabrication
  • structural materials
  • smart devices

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Related Special Issue

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

20 pages, 8211 KiB  
Article
Effect of Surface Morphology and Internal Structure on the Tribological Behaviors of Snake Scales from Dinodon rufozonatum
by Ge Shi, Jinhao Wang, Yuehua Dong, Song Hu, Long Zheng and Luquan Ren
Biomimetics 2024, 9(10), 617; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomimetics9100617 - 11 Oct 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1563
Abstract
Snakes can move freely on land, in lakes, and in other environments. During movement, the scales are in long-term contact with the external environment, providing protection to the body. In this study, we evaluated the mechanical properties and scratching performance of the ventral [...] Read more.
Snakes can move freely on land, in lakes, and in other environments. During movement, the scales are in long-term contact with the external environment, providing protection to the body. In this study, we evaluated the mechanical properties and scratching performance of the ventral and dorsal scales from Dinodon rufozonatum, a generalist species that moves on both land and in streams under wet and dry conditions. The results showed that the elastic modulus and hardness of the dry scales were greater than those of the wet scales. The average scale friction coefficient under wet conditions (0.1588) was 9.3% greater than that under dry conditions (0.1453). The scales exhibit brittle damage in dry environments, while in wet environments, ductile damage is observed. This adaptation mechanism allows the scales to protect the body by dissipating energy and reducing stress concentration, ensuring efficient locomotion and durability in both terrestrial and aquatic environments. Understanding how this biomaterial adapts to environmental changes can inspire the development of bionic materials. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biological and Bioinspired Materials and Structures)
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15 pages, 5458 KiB  
Article
Mechanical Properties of Re-Entrant Hybrid Honeycomb Structures for Morphing Wings
by Yan Wang, Yingjie Guo and Hui Yang
Biomimetics 2024, 9(9), 521; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomimetics9090521 - 30 Aug 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1829
Abstract
The exceptional energy absorption, deformability, and tuneable Poisson’s ratio properties of negative Poisson’s ratio (NPR) honeycomb biomimetic structures make them highly suitable for applications in aerospace, medical, and acoustic stealth industries. The present study proposes a re-entrant hybrid honeycomb (REHH) structure comprising a [...] Read more.
The exceptional energy absorption, deformability, and tuneable Poisson’s ratio properties of negative Poisson’s ratio (NPR) honeycomb biomimetic structures make them highly suitable for applications in aerospace, medical, and acoustic stealth industries. The present study proposes a re-entrant hybrid honeycomb (REHH) structure comprising a re-entrant octagonal unit cell and a re-entrant hexagonal unit cell. Theoretical models of the in-plane elastic modulus and Poisson’s ratio are established based on beam theory, and these models are validated through finite element (FE) simulations and tensile experiments conducted on the REHH samples. The influence of the cell geometry parameters on the in-plane elastic behaviours is investigated. The results indicate that the NPR performance of the REHH structure exhibits superior deformation capability compared with the four-point star hybrid honeycomb (FSHH) structure. The experimental REHH structure samples exhibit significant tensile displacement capabilities in the x-direction. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biological and Bioinspired Materials and Structures)
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14 pages, 7085 KiB  
Article
Advanced Kidney Models In Vitro Using the Established Cell Line Renal Proximal Tubular Epithelial/Telomerase Reverse Transcriptase1 for Nephrotoxicity Assays
by Alodia Lacueva-Aparicio, Laura Martínez-Gimeno, Pilar Torcal, Ignacio Ochoa and Ignacio Giménez
Biomimetics 2024, 9(7), 446; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomimetics9070446 - 22 Jul 2024
Viewed by 2164
Abstract
Nephrotoxicity stands as one of the most limiting effects in the development and validation of new drugs. The kidney, among the organs evaluated in toxicity assessments, has a higher susceptibility, with nephrotoxic potential frequently evading detection until late in clinical trials. Traditional cell [...] Read more.
Nephrotoxicity stands as one of the most limiting effects in the development and validation of new drugs. The kidney, among the organs evaluated in toxicity assessments, has a higher susceptibility, with nephrotoxic potential frequently evading detection until late in clinical trials. Traditional cell culture, which has been widely used for decades, does not recapitulate the structure and complexity of the native tissue, which can affect cell function, and the response to cytotoxins does not resemble what occurs in the kidney. In the current study, we aimed to address these challenges by creating in vitro kidney models that faithfully biomimic the dynamics of the renal proximal tubule, using the well-established RPTEC/TERT1 cell line. For doing so, two models were developed, one recreating tubule-like structures (2.5D model) and the other using microfluidic technology (kidney-on-a-chip). The 2.5D model allowed tubular structures to be generated in the absence of hydrogels, and the kidney-on-a-chip model allowed shear stress to be applied to the cell culture, which is a physiological stimulus in the renal tissue. After characterization of both models, different nephrotoxic compounds such as cisplatin, tacrolimus, and daunorubicin were used to study cell responses after treatment. The developed models in our study could be a valuable tool for pre-clinical nephrotoxic testing of drugs and new compounds. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biological and Bioinspired Materials and Structures)
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22 pages, 25328 KiB  
Article
Region-Specific Decellularization of Porcine Uterine Tube Extracellular Matrix: A New Approach for Reproductive Tissue-Engineering Applications
by Gustavo Henrique Doná Rodrigues Almeida, Raquel Souza da Silva, Mariana Sversut Gibin, Victória Hellen de Souza Gonzaga, Henrique dos Santos, Rebeca Piatniczka Igleisa, Leticia Alves Fernandes, Iorrane Couto Fernandes, Thais Naomi Gonçalves Nesiyama, Francielle Sato, Mauro Luciano Baesso, Luzmarina Hernandes, Jaqueline de Carvalho Rinaldi, Flávio Vieira Meirelles, Claudete S. Astolfi-Ferreira, Antonio José Piantino Ferreira and Ana Claudia Oliveira Carreira
Biomimetics 2024, 9(7), 382; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomimetics9070382 - 24 Jun 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 4458
Abstract
The uterine tube extracellular matrix is a key component that regulates tubal tissue physiology, and it has a region-specific structural distribution, which is directly associated to its functions. Considering this, the application of biological matrices in culture systems is an interesting strategy to [...] Read more.
The uterine tube extracellular matrix is a key component that regulates tubal tissue physiology, and it has a region-specific structural distribution, which is directly associated to its functions. Considering this, the application of biological matrices in culture systems is an interesting strategy to develop biomimetic tubal microenvironments and enhance their complexity. However, there are no established protocols to produce tubal biological matrices that consider the organ morphophysiology for such applications. Therefore, this study aimed to establish region-specific protocols to obtain decellularized scaffolds derived from porcine infundibulum, ampulla, and isthmus to provide suitable sources of biomaterials for tissue-engineering approaches. Porcine uterine tubes were decellularized in solutions of 0.1% SDS and 0.5% Triton X-100. The decellularization efficiency was evaluated by DAPI staining and DNA quantification. We analyzed the ECM composition and structure by optical and scanning electronic microscopy, FTIR, and Raman spectroscopy. DNA and DAPI assays validated the decellularization, presenting a significative reduction in cellular content. Structural and spectroscopy analyses revealed that the produced scaffolds remained well structured and with the ECM composition preserved. YS and HEK293 cells were used to attest cytocompatibility, allowing high cell viability rates and successful interaction with the scaffolds. These results suggest that such matrices are applicable for future biotechnological approaches in the reproductive field. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biological and Bioinspired Materials and Structures)
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13 pages, 21692 KiB  
Article
Mycelium-Based Composites: Surveying Their Acceptance by Professional Architects
by Anna Lewandowska, Agata Bonenberg and Maciej Sydor
Biomimetics 2024, 9(6), 333; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomimetics9060333 - 30 May 2024
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2345
Abstract
Mycelium-based composites (MBCs) are biomaterials with scientifically proven potential to improve sustainability in construction. Although mycelium-based products are not entirely new, their use in engineering presents challenges due to the inherent properties of this fungal material. This study investigated professional architects’ and interior [...] Read more.
Mycelium-based composites (MBCs) are biomaterials with scientifically proven potential to improve sustainability in construction. Although mycelium-based products are not entirely new, their use in engineering presents challenges due to the inherent properties of this fungal material. This study investigated professional architects’ and interior designers’ perceptions of MBCs, focusing on familiarity, aesthetic appeal, and willingness to use. The first phase of the survey explored respondents’ views on material-related ecological design principles. In the second phase, respondents evaluated ten small architectural objects crafted from MBCs, focusing on form, detail, and visual appeal. The last phase of the survey measured their interest in using mycelium in their design work. The results revealed that MBCs were relatively unknown among the surveyed professionals; only every second respondent knew this material. Despite this, 90% found MBCs visually appealing after seeing the examples. Interestingly, the natural, unprocessed appearance of the material was assessed as less aesthetically pleasing, with thermal treatment improving its perceived value. Architects were more receptive to using MBCs in their professional projects for customers than for personal use. This observation points to a ‘double standard’: professional architects are more open to using MBCs in projects not intended for their own use. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biological and Bioinspired Materials and Structures)
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