Bioinspired and biomimetic protein-based fibers and their applications
Abstract Protein-based fibers combine unique mechanical properties with biocompatibility and biodegradability, and often outperform polymer-based fibers. Furthermore, a growing need for sustainable materials has triggered a revival in the study of protein fibers, including keratin, collagen, elastin...
| Main Authors: | , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Nature Portfolio
2024-04-01
|
| Series: | Communications Materials |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s43246-024-00488-2 |
| _version_ | 1827277025724858368 |
|---|---|
| author | Tim Schiller Thomas Scheibel |
| author_facet | Tim Schiller Thomas Scheibel |
| author_sort | Tim Schiller |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Protein-based fibers combine unique mechanical properties with biocompatibility and biodegradability, and often outperform polymer-based fibers. Furthermore, a growing need for sustainable materials has triggered a revival in the study of protein fibers, including keratin, collagen, elastin, and silk, which do not require environmentally damaging petrochemicals for their synthesis. Nowadays, bioinspired research intends to mimic the underlying proteins as well as their natural assembly or spinning processes, to achieve fibers with properties equivalent to those of their natural counterparts. Protein-based fibers can also be used to mimic functions in nature, which can otherwise not be achieved with synthetic polymer-based fibers. Here, we review promising protein fibers, their synthesis, and applications, such as air and water filtration, energy conversion, smart textiles, and in biosensoring and biomedical fields. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-24T07:12:51Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5769a7555e1343cb9f7d125971862660 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2662-4443 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T07:12:51Z |
| publishDate | 2024-04-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Communications Materials |
| spelling | doaj.art-5769a7555e1343cb9f7d1259718626602024-04-21T11:25:07ZengNature PortfolioCommunications Materials2662-44432024-04-015111810.1038/s43246-024-00488-2Bioinspired and biomimetic protein-based fibers and their applicationsTim Schiller0Thomas Scheibel1Chair of Biomaterials, Engineering Faculty, University of BayreuthChair of Biomaterials, Engineering Faculty, University of BayreuthAbstract Protein-based fibers combine unique mechanical properties with biocompatibility and biodegradability, and often outperform polymer-based fibers. Furthermore, a growing need for sustainable materials has triggered a revival in the study of protein fibers, including keratin, collagen, elastin, and silk, which do not require environmentally damaging petrochemicals for their synthesis. Nowadays, bioinspired research intends to mimic the underlying proteins as well as their natural assembly or spinning processes, to achieve fibers with properties equivalent to those of their natural counterparts. Protein-based fibers can also be used to mimic functions in nature, which can otherwise not be achieved with synthetic polymer-based fibers. Here, we review promising protein fibers, their synthesis, and applications, such as air and water filtration, energy conversion, smart textiles, and in biosensoring and biomedical fields.https://doi.org/10.1038/s43246-024-00488-2 |
| spellingShingle | Tim Schiller Thomas Scheibel Bioinspired and biomimetic protein-based fibers and their applications Communications Materials |
| title | Bioinspired and biomimetic protein-based fibers and their applications |
| title_full | Bioinspired and biomimetic protein-based fibers and their applications |
| title_fullStr | Bioinspired and biomimetic protein-based fibers and their applications |
| title_full_unstemmed | Bioinspired and biomimetic protein-based fibers and their applications |
| title_short | Bioinspired and biomimetic protein-based fibers and their applications |
| title_sort | bioinspired and biomimetic protein based fibers and their applications |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s43246-024-00488-2 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT timschiller bioinspiredandbiomimeticproteinbasedfibersandtheirapplications AT thomasscheibel bioinspiredandbiomimeticproteinbasedfibersandtheirapplications |