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A special issue of Biomimetics (ISSN 2313-7673). This special issue belongs to the section "Biomimetics of Materials and Structures".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 December 2023) | Viewed by 11382

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Dr. Florian Ion Tiberiu Petrescu

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1. Theory of Mechanisms and Robots Department, Faculty of Industrial Engineering and Robotics, University POLITEHNICA of Bucharest, Splaiul Independentei Street 313, 060042 Bucharest, Romania
2. Nanomaterials Research Group, Department of Natural Sciences and Technology, Division of Natural Sciences, Technology and Environment, Universidad Ana G. Méndez-Gurabo Campus, Gurabo, PR 00778, USA
Interests: machines; bioengineering; nuclear power; materials science; aerospace
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Dear Colleagues,

Biomaterials may be natural or synthetic and are used in medical applications to support, enhance, or replace damaged tissue or a biological function. The first historical use of biomaterials dates to antiquity when ancient Egyptians used sutures made from animal sinew.

A biomaterial is now defined as a substance engineered to take a form that, alone or as part of a complex system, is used to direct, by control of interactions with components of living systems, the course of any therapeutic or diagnostic procedure. It is the aim of this Special Issue to provide a peer-reviewed forum for the publication of original papers and authoritative review and opinion papers dealing with the most important issues facing the use of biomaterials in clinical practice. The scope of this Special Issue covers a wide range of physical, biological, and chemical sciences that underpin the design of biomaterials and the clinical disciplines in which they are used. These sciences include polymer synthesis and characterization, drug and gene vector design, the biology of the host response, immunology and toxicology, and self-assembly at the nanoscale. Clinical applications include medical technology and regenerative medicine therapies in all clinical disciplines, as well as diagnostic systems that rely on innovative contrast and sensing agents.

A biocomposite is a composite material formed by a matrix (resin) and a reinforcement of natural fibers. Environmental concerns and the cost of synthetic fibers have led to the foundation of using natural fiber as a reinforcement in polymeric composites. The matrix phase is formed by polymers derived from renewable and nonrenewable resources. The matrix is important as it protects the fibers from environmental degradation and mechanical damage, holds the fibers together, and transfers the loads on them. In addition, fibers are the principal components of biocomposites, which are derived from biological origins, for example, fibers from crops (cotton, flax, or hemp), recycled wood, waste paper, crop processing byproducts, or regenerated cellulose fiber (viscose/rayon). The interest in biocomposites is rapidly growing in terms of industrial applications (automobiles, railway coaches, aerospace, military applications, construction, and packaging) and fundamental research, due to its great benefits (renewable, cheap, recyclable, and biodegradable). Biocomposites can be used alone or as a complement to standard materials, such as carbon fiber. Advocates of biocomposites state that the use of these materials improves health and safety in their production, are lighter in weight, have a visual appeal similar to that of wood, and are environmentally superior. Biopolymers are organic substances present in natural sources. The term biopolymer originates from the Greek words bio and polymer, representing nature and living organisms. Large macromolecules made up of numerous repeating units are known as biopolymers.

Dr. Florian Ion Tiberiu Petrescu
Guest Editor

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Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Biomimetics is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

biomaterials
biocomposites
biopolymers
macromolecules
medical applications
self-assembly
synthetic fibers
industrial applications

Published Papers (8 papers)

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Research

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20 pages, 4777 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Bio-Inspired Approach to Improve the Toughness of Brittle Bast Fibre-Reinforced Composites Using Cellulose Acetate Foils

by Nina Graupner and Jörg Müssig

Biomimetics 2024, 9(3), 131; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomimetics9030131 - 21 Feb 2024

Viewed by 941

Abstract

Bast fibre-reinforced plastics are characterised by good strength and stiffness but are often brittle due to the stiff and less ductile fibres. This study uses a biomimetic approach to improve impact strength. Based on the structure of the spicules of a deep-sea glass sponge, in which hard layers of bioglass alternate with soft layers of proteins, the toughness of kenaf/epoxy composites was significantly improved by a multilayer structure of kenaf and cellulose acetate (CA) foils as impact modifiers. Due to the alternating structure, cracks are deflected, and toughness is improved. One to five CA foils were stacked with kenaf layers and processed to composite plates with bio-based epoxy resin by compression moulding. Results have shown a significant improvement in toughness using CA foils due to increased crack propagation. The unnotched Charpy impact strength increased from 9.0 kJ/m² of the pure kenaf/epoxy composite to 36.3 kJ/m² for the sample containing five CA foils. The tensile and flexural strength ranged from 74 to 81 MPa and 112 to 125 MPa, respectively. The tensile modulus reached values between 9100 and 10,600 MPa, and the flexural modulus ranged between 7200 and 8100 MPa. The results demonstrate the successful implementation of an abstract transfer of biological role models to improve the toughness of brittle bast fibre-reinforced plastics. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Biomaterials, Biocomposites and Biopolymers)

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15 pages, 2634 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Gelatin–Chitosan Hydrogel Biological, Antimicrobial and Mechanical Properties for Dental Applications

by Andrea Itzamantul Flores-Espinoza, Rene Garcia-Contreras, Dulce Araceli Guzman-Rocha, Benjamin Aranda-Herrera, Patricia Alejandra Chavez-Granados, Carlos A. Jurado, Yasser F. Alfawaz and Abdulrahman Alshabib

Biomimetics 2023, 8(8), 575; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomimetics8080575 - 01 Dec 2023

Viewed by 1208

Abstract

Chitosan, a natural polysaccharide sourced from crustaceans and insects, is often used with hydrogels in wound care. Evaluating its cytotoxicity and antimicrobial properties is crucial for its potential use in dentistry. Objective: To investigate the mechanical properties of gelatin hydrogels based on decaethylated chitosan and antimicrobial activity against Streptococcus mutans and their biological effects with stem cells from apical papilla (SCAPs). Material and methods: Gelatin–chitosan hydrogels were synthesized at concentrations of 0%, 0.2% and 0.5%. Enzymatic and hydrolytic degradation, along with swelling capacity, was assessed. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis was employed to characterize the hydrogels. The interaction between hydrogels and SCAPs was examined through initial adhesion and cell proliferation at 24 and 48 h, using the Thiazolyl Blue Tetrazolium Bromide (MTT assay). The antimicrobial effect was evaluated using agar diffusion and a microdilution test against S. mutans. Uniaxial tensile strength (UTS) was also measured to assess the mechanical properties of the hydrogels. Results: The hydrogels underwent hydrolytic and enzymatic degradation at 30, 220, 300 min and 15, 25, 30 min, respectively. Significantly, (p < 0.01) swelling capacity occurred at 20, 40, 30 min, respectively. Gelatin–chitosan hydrogels’ functional groups were confirmed using vibrational pattern analysis. SCAPs proliferation corresponded to 24 h = 73 ± 2%, 82 ± 2%, 61 ± 6% and 48 h = 83 ± 11%, 86 ± 2%, 44 ± 2%, respectively. The bacterial survival of hydrogel interaction was found to be 96 ± 1%, 17 ± 1.5% (p < 0.01) and 1 ± 0.5% (p < 0.01), respectively. UTS showed enhanced (p < 0.05) mechanical properties with chitosan presence. Conclusion: Gelatin–chitosan hydrogels displayed favorable degradation, swelling capacity, mild dose-dependent cytotoxicity, significant proliferation with stem cells from apical papilla (SCAPs), substantial antimicrobial effects against S. mutans and enhanced mechanical properties. These findings highlight their potential applications as postoperative care dressings. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Biomaterials, Biocomposites and Biopolymers)

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16 pages, 3581 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Preparation and Characterization of Mono- and Biphasic Ca_1−xAg_xHPO₄·nH₂O Compounds for Biomedical Applications

by Fahad Abdulaziz, Khalil Issa, Mohammed Alyami, Satam Alotibi, Abdulaziz A. Alanazi, Taha Abdel Mohaymen Taha, Asma M. E. Saad, Gehan A. Hammouda, Nagat Hamad and Mazen Alshaaer

Biomimetics 2023, 8(7), 547; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomimetics8070547 - 14 Nov 2023

Viewed by 1075

Abstract

This study aimed to explore the effects of the full-scale replacement (up to 100%) of Ca²⁺ ions with Ag¹⁺ ions in the structure of brushite (CaHPO₄·2H₂O). This substitution has potential benefits for producing monophasic and biphasic Ca_1−xAg_xHPO₄·nH₂O compounds. To prepare the starting solutions, (NH₄)₂HPO₄, Ca(NO₃)₂·4H₂O, and AgNO₃ at different concentrations were used. The results showed that when the Ag/Ca molar ratio was below 0.25, partial substitution of Ca with Ag reduced the size of the unit cell of brushite. As the Ag/Ca molar ratio increased to 4, a compound with both monoclinic CaHPO₄·2H₂O and cubic nanostructured Ag₃PO₄ phases formed. There was a nearly linear relationship between the Ag ion ratio in the starting solutions and the wt% precipitation of the Ag₃PO₄ phase in the resulting compound. Moreover, when the Ag/Ca molar ratio exceeded 4, a single-phase Ag₃PO₄ compound formed. Hence, adjusting the Ag/Ca ratio in the starting solution allows the production of biomaterials with customized properties. In summary, this study introduces a novel synthesis method for the mono- and biphasic Ca_1−xAg_xHPO₄·nH₂O compounds brushite and silver phosphate. The preparation of these phases in a one-pot synthesis with controlled phase composition resulted in the enhancement of existing bone cement formulations by allowing better mixing of the starting ingredients. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Biomaterials, Biocomposites and Biopolymers)

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16 pages, 5846 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Composite Hydrogels Based on Bacterial Cellulose and Poly-1-vinyl-1,2,4-triazole/Phosphoric Acid: Supramolecular Structure as Studied by Small Angle Scattering

by Ruslan Y. Smyslov, Artem I. Emel’yanov, Ksenia V. Ezdakova, Svetlana A. Korzhova, Yulia E. Gorshkova, Albert K. Khripunov, Alexandra V. Migunova, Natalia V. Tsvigun, Galina F. Prozorova, Varvara O. Veselova, Gennady P. Kopitsa, Lijun Lu, Yanchao Mao and Alexander S. Pozdnyakov

Biomimetics 2023, 8(7), 520; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomimetics8070520 - 02 Nov 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 997

Abstract

New composite hydrogels (CH) based on bacterial cellulose (BC) and poly-1-vinyl-1,2,4-triazole (PVT) doped with orthophosphoric acid (oPA), presenting interpenetrating polymeric networks (IPN), have been synthesized. The mesoscopic study of the supramolecular structure (SMS) of both native cellulose, produced by the strain Komagataeibacter rhaeticus, and the CH based on BC and containing PVT/oPA complex were carried out in a wide range of momentum transfer using ultra- and classical small-angle neutron scattering techniques. The two SMS hierarchical levels were revealed from 1.6 nm to 2.5 μm for the objects under investigation. In addition, it was shown that the native BC had a correlation peak on the small-angle scattering curves at 0.00124 Å⁻¹, with the correlation length ξ being equal to ca. 510 nm. This motive was also retained in the IPN. The data obtained allowed the estimation of the fractal dimensions and ranges of self-similarity and gave new information about the BC mesostructure and its CH. Furthermore, we revealed them to be in coincidence with Brown’s BC model, which was earlier supported by Fink’s results. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Biomaterials, Biocomposites and Biopolymers)

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10 pages, 1980 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Physical-Chemical and Microhardness Properties of Model Dental Composites Containing 1,2-Bismethacrylate-3-eugenyl Propane Monomer

by Abdel-Basit Al-Odayni, Haifa Masfeer Al-Kahtani, Waseem Sharaf Saeed, Abdullah Al-Kahtani, Taieb Aouak, Rawaiz Khan, Merry Angelyn Tan De Vera and Ali Alrahlah

Biomimetics 2023, 8(7), 511; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomimetics8070511 - 27 Oct 2023

Viewed by 972

Abstract

A new eugenyl dimethacrylated monomer (symbolled BisMEP) has recently been synthesized. It showed promising viscosity and polymerizability as resin for dental composite. As a new monomer, BisMEP must be assessed further; thus, various physical, chemical, and mechanical properties have to be investigated. In this work, the aim was to investigate the potential use of BisMEP in place of the BisGMA matrix of resin-based composites (RBCs), totally or partially. Therefore, a list of model composites (CEa0, CEa25, CEa50, and CEa100) were prepared, which made up of 66 wt% synthesized silica fillers and 34 wt% organic matrices (BisGMA and TEGDMA; 1:1 wt/wt), while the novel BisMEP monomer has replaced the BisGMA content as 0.0, 25, 50, and 100 wt%, respectively. The RBCs were analyzed for their degree of conversion (DC)-based depth of cure at 1 and 2 mm thickness (DC1 and DC2), Vickers hardness (HV), water uptake (W_SP), and water solubility (W_SL) properties. Data were statistically analyzed using IBM SPSS v21, and the significance level was taken as p < 0.05. The results revealed no significant differences (p > 0.05) in the DC at 1 and 2 mm depth for the same composite. No significant differences in the DC between CEa0, CEa25, and CEa50; however, the difference becomes substantial (p < 0.05) with CEa100, suggesting possible incorporation of BisMEP at low dosage. Furthermore, DC1 for CEa0–CEa50 and DC2 for CEa0–CEa25 were found to be above the proposed minimum limit DC of 55%. Statistical analysis of the HV data showed no significant difference between CEa0, CEa25, and CEa50, while the difference became statistically significant after totally replacing BisGMA with BisMEP (CEa100). Notably, no significant differences in the W_SP of various composites were detected. Likewise, W_SL tests revealed no significant differences between such composites. These results suggest the possible usage of BisMEP in a mixture with BisGMA with no significant adverse effect on the DC, HV, W_SP, and degradation (W_SL). Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Biomaterials, Biocomposites and Biopolymers)

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17 pages, 2455 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Reduced Sodium Portions Favor Osteogenic Properties and Cytocompatibility of 45S5-Based Bioactive Glass Particles

by Stefanos Tsitlakidis, Frederike Hohenbild, Merve Saur, Arash Moghaddam, Elke Kunisch, Tobias Renkawitz, Isabel Gonzalo de Juan and Fabian Westhauser

Biomimetics 2023, 8(6), 472; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomimetics8060472 - 02 Oct 2023

Viewed by 1222

Abstract

Besides its favorable biological properties, the release of sodium (Na) from the well-known 45S5-bioactive glass (BG) composition (in mol%: 46.1, SiO₂, 24.5 CaO, 24.5 Na₂O, 6.0 P₂O₅) can hamper its cytocompatibility. In this study, particles of Na-reduced variants of 45S5-BG were produced in exchange for CaO and P₂O₅ via the sol-gel-route resulting in Na contents of 75%, 50%, 25% or 0% of the original composition. The release of ions from the BGs as well as their impact on the cell environment (pH values), viability and osteogenic differentiation (activity of alkaline phosphatase (ALP)), the expression of osteopontin and osteocalcin in human bone-marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells in correlation to the Na-content and ion release of the BGs was assessed. The release of Na-ions increased with increasing Na-content in the BGs. With decreasing Na content, the viability of cells incubated with the BGs increased. The Na-reduced BGs showed elevated ALP activity and a pro-osteogenic stimulation with accelerated osteopontin induction and a pronounced upregulation of osteocalcin. In conclusion, the reduction in Na-content enhances the cytocompatibility and improves the osteogenic properties of 45S5-BG, making the Na-reduced variants of 45S5-BG promising candidates for further experimental consideration. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Biomaterials, Biocomposites and Biopolymers)

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13 pages, 4270 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Fly Ash on Mechanical Properties of Polymer Resin Grout

by Ashraf A. M. Fadiel, Nuria S. Mohammed, Ahmad Baharuddin Abdul Rahman, Esam Abu Baker Ali, Taher Abu-Lebdeh and Florian Ion Tiberiu Petrescu

Biomimetics 2023, 8(5), 392; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomimetics8050392 - 26 Aug 2023

Viewed by 1010

Abstract

High-strength grout is specified to increase the bond between grout and bar in grouted connections and to ensure that the forces in the bars can be transferred to the surrounding material accordingly. Although polymer grout is fast setting and rapid in strength development, the use of polymer mortar in grouted connections is still limited because of the lack of information and familiarity practitioners have regarding the product. The goal of this work is to investigate the mechanical characteristics and performance of polyester grout containing fly ash that can be used as an infill material for grouted connections. This study focused on the composition of polymer grout, which typically consists of a binder, hardener, and filler. In this particular case, the binder was made of unsaturated polyester resin and hardener, while the filler was fine sand. The aim of the research was to investigate the potential benefits of incorporating fly ash as an additional filler in polymer resin grout and examine the mechanical properties of polymer resin grout. To this end, varying amounts of fly ash were added to the mix, ranging from 0% to 32% of the total filler by volume, with a fixed polymer content of 40%. The performance of the resulting grout was evaluated through flowability, compression, and splitting tensile tests. The results of the experiments showed that, at a fly ash volume of 28%, the combination of fine sand and fly ash led to an improvement in grout strength; specifically, at this volume of fly ash, the compressive and tensile strengths increased by 24.7% and 124%, respectively, compared to the control mix. However, beyond a fly ash volume of 28%, the mechanical properties of the grout started to deteriorate. Due its superior properties in terms of compressive and flexural strengths over all examined mixes, the PRG-40-28 mix is ideal for use in the infill material for mechanical connections. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Biomaterials, Biocomposites and Biopolymers)

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Review

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22 pages, 2294 KiB

Open AccessReview

Artificial Humic Substances as Biomimetics of Natural Analogues: Production, Characteristics and Preferences Regarding Their Use

by Elena Efremenko, Nikolay Stepanov, Olga Senko, Ilya Lyagin, Olga Maslova and Aysel Aslanli

Biomimetics 2023, 8(8), 613; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomimetics8080613 - 15 Dec 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1904

Abstract

Various processes designed for the humification (HF) of animal husbandry wastes, primarily bird droppings, reduce their volumes, solve environmental problems, and make it possible to obtain products with artificially formed humic substances (HSs) as analogues of natural HSs, usually extracted from fossil sources (coal and peat). This review studies the main characteristics of various biological and physicochemical methods of the HF of animal wastes (composting, anaerobic digestion, pyrolysis, hydrothermal carbonation, acid or alkaline hydrolysis, and subcritical water extraction). A comparative analysis of the HF rates and HS yields in these processes, the characteristics of the resulting artificial HSs (humification index, polymerization index, degree of aromaticity, etc.) was carried out. The main factors (additives, process conditions, waste pretreatment, etc.) that can increase the efficiency of HF and affect the properties of HSs are highlighted. Based on the results of chemical composition analysis, the main trends and preferences with regard to the use of HF products as complex biomimetics are discussed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Biomaterials, Biocomposites and Biopolymers)

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