Biological materials have self-assembled and evolved for several billion years to provide a multitude of different, finely tuned functions in order to maximise the host organism’s chance of survival. These multifunctional materials frequently rely on a hierarchical composition and morphology that bridges several length scales from the nano- to the macro-scale.
Such kind of materials and the related formation processes continue to inspire scientists and engineers in the optimization of existing technologies and the conception of new high performance materials and devices. The ability to understand, imitate and improve natural processes and materials relies on the interdisciplinary collaboration of many research fields spanning from materials science and biology to chemistry, mathematics, physics, and engineering. Biomimetic and bioinspired material development approaches offer a tremendous potential to conceive multifunctional materials of the future for applications in health care, resource management, energy conversion and consumer product design.
This symposium will focus on bio-inspired materials with functionality that originates from nano- and micro-sized structures. It aims to assemble a panel of leading researchers and distinguished speakers whose backgrounds reflect the interdisciplinary nature of our field to ensure a dynamic, border-crossing and idea-sparking session in the burgeoning area of bio-inspired and biomimetic materials science.