Abstract

The biological materials are superior to man-made synthetic materials with regard to combination of mechanical properties such as stiffness and impact strength yet exhibiting very light weight. They are also highly anisotropic and self-repairing. They are produced without the use of solvents and with low energy consumption. In biological systems, advanced micro-architecture is assembled with precise control of size and structures. Biomimetic design of future man-made materials requires understanding of structure-property relationship which can be achieved by advanced characterization of biological materials in wet state at all length scale.

Polysaccharides are biopolymers with robust structure and a wide range of properties controlled by hydrogen bonding and crystallization process. They are the major building blocks in plants, marine organisms and are responsible for water holding in the human body. The polysaccharides building blocks are easily available by disassembly of agricultural and forest feedstock.

The aim of this research is to prepare supramolecular materials with the controlled structure and ability to administrate water. This can be achieved by controlled assembly of well defined polysaccharide building blocks in combination with bioprocessing. Biomineralization is an example of biofabrication processes where biopolymeric templates induce and control the crystal growth. Another way to control nano and micro structure is to use the cells guided by templates to produce materials. This lecture will review my current research of preparing advanced packaging materials, biocomposites and biomaterials for replacing organs in human body using polysaccharides as building blocks.

 

Biography

Paul Gatenholm is Professor of Bioprocessing and Biomaterials at the Department of Materials, Science and Engineering at Virginia Tech. His research interest is to design and assembly supramolecular materials based on renewable building blocks.