Objective Energy efficiency and sustainability encourage to develop lightweight materials with excellent mechanical properties, combining also additional functionalities and responses. Therein nature allows inspiration, as e.g. pearl of nacre and silk show extraordinary mechanical properties due to their aligned self-assemblies. However, biological complexity poses great challenges and in biomimetics selected features are mimicked using simpler concepts. Previously artificial nacre has been mimicked by multilayer and sequential techniques and ice-templating. However, concepts for aligned spontaneous self-assemblies are called for scalability. We will develop toughened nacre-inspired materials by templating functionalized polymers on colloidal sheets in suspension, followed by self-assembly by solvent removal. Similarly, we will develop silk-mimetic materials using aligned organic fibrous reinforcements in soft dissipative matrix. Nanofibrillated cellulose will be wet-spun using extrusion into coagulant bath, followed by post drawing, drying and functionalization to allow silk-like fibers with high mechanical properties. In another route, cellulose rod-like whiskers will be decorated with soft functional polymers allowing energy dissipation, followed by alignment and interlinking to mimick silk-assemblies. The colloidal routes allow also new functionalities by using functional polymers, e.g. electroactive and conjugated polymers and nanoparticles. Importantly, redox-active polymers are bound on the colloidal sheets. Incorporating in a planar electrochemical cell with flexible electrodes, electrochemical switching of stiffness is obtained using a small voltage, as the intercolloidal interaction is controlled by the charge state of the redox-active layers. This would allow a new class of material, eg. to interface users and devices. In summary, we present a colloidal self-assembly platform for biomimetic materials with exciting mechanical, functional, and switching properties. Fields of science engineering and technologymaterials engineeringfibersnatural scienceschemical scienceselectrochemistrynatural scienceschemical sciencespolymer sciencesengineering and technologynanotechnologynano-materials Programme(s) FP7-IDEAS-ERC - Specific programme: "Ideas" implementing the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities (2007 to 2013) Topic(s) ERC-AG-PE5 - ERC Advanced Grant - Materials and Synthesis Call for proposal ERC-2011-ADG_20110209 See other projects for this call Funding Scheme ERC-AG - ERC Advanced Grant Host institution AALTO KORKEAKOULUSAATIO SR EU contribution € 2 296 320,00 Address OTAKAARI 1 02150 Espoo Finland See on map Region Manner-Suomi Helsinki-Uusimaa Helsinki-Uusimaa Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Principal investigator Olli Tapio Ikkala (Prof.) Administrative Contact Matti Kaivola (Prof.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Total cost No data Beneficiaries (1) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all AALTO KORKEAKOULUSAATIO SR Finland EU contribution € 2 296 320,00 Address OTAKAARI 1 02150 Espoo See on map Region Manner-Suomi Helsinki-Uusimaa Helsinki-Uusimaa Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Principal investigator Olli Tapio Ikkala (Prof.) Administrative Contact Matti Kaivola (Prof.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Total cost No data
