Bioinspired Polymers

Dear Colleagues,

Nature has developed many sophisticated systems, materials and concepts/mechanisms, the transfer of which to technical applications would be highly desirable. However, for feasibility and economic reasons, biological systems often cannot be applied directly but serve as an inspiration for a technological solution. A typical example is the fabrication of structured surfaces having self-cleaning properties based on the Lotus effect®.
This special issue is intended to highlight any kind of bioinspired/biomimetic use or application of synthetic polymers, for instance for the generation of hierarchical structures, structural and functional materials, stimuli-responsive/“smart” colloids and surfaces, or as additives for biomineralization, etc.

Dr. Helmut Schlaad
Guest Editor