A bioinspired and hierarchically structured shape-memory material.
Nat Mater
; 20(2): 242-249, 2021 02.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-32868876
ABSTRACT
Shape-memory polymeric materials lack long-range molecular order that enables more controlled and efficient actuation mechanisms. Here, we develop a hierarchical structured keratin-based system that has long-range molecular order and shape-memory properties in response to hydration. We explore the metastable reconfiguration of the keratin secondary structure, the transition from α-helix to ß-sheet, as an actuation mechanism to design a high-strength shape-memory material that is biocompatible and processable through fibre spinning and three-dimensional (3D) printing. We extract keratin protofibrils from animal hair and subject them to shear stress to induce their self-organization into a nematic phase, which recapitulates the native hierarchical organization of the protein. This self-assembly process can be tuned to create materials with desired anisotropic structuring and responsiveness. Our combination of bottom-up assembly and top-down manufacturing allows for the scalable fabrication of strong and hierarchically structured shape-memory fibres and 3D-printed scaffolds with potential applications in bioengineering and smart textiles.
Texto completo:
1
Bases de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Engenharia Tecidual
/
Alicerces Teciduais
/
Impressão Tridimensional
/
Materiais Inteligentes
/
Queratinas
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Nat Mater
Assunto da revista:
CIENCIA
/
QUIMICA
Ano de publicação:
2021
Tipo de documento:
Article
País de afiliação:
Estados Unidos