Biomimetic Materials Used to Increase the Quality of Life

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue, “Biomimetic Materials Used to Increase the Quality of Life”, is being launched with the aim of collecting and disseminating original, theoretical and applied scientific research in various fields concerning the use of hybrid and nanocomposite bioinspired materials.

Humans have always been inspired by Nature because within it they found the best models of the adaptation and functioning of living systems to the living conditions of the Earth. With the advancement of research technologies to image and investigate objects smaller scale, it has become possible to study microorganisms in such detail that the knowledge accumulated about them makes it possible, through imitation or "symbiosynthesis" with them, to obtain new materials.

Composite materials used in construction, obtained through the biomineralization of calcium carbonates or phosphates, represent perhaps the greatest advancement in development. In recent years, however, the results of research in interconnected fields such as biology, physics, chemistry, medicine and geology have made possible the creation of new nanocomposite materials with applicability especially in the medical field of hard-tissue reconstruction. In this way, composite nanomaterials have been obtained on inorganic scaffolds of calcium carbonate, calcium phosphate, silica, iron oxides, or metal sulfides combined with organic structures such as proteins, lipids, or polymeric additives in order to obtain new materials with specific properties. However, their applications are not limited to regenerative medicine; Bio-inspired nanomaterials are used in the reconditioning and preservation of cultural heritage and in water depollution. Further, other fields such as robotics, artificial intelligence, depollution of the atmossphere, as well as energy production and storage represent fields that are in full development, which need such advanced materials.

Original research and review papers that will be published in this Special Issue will cover various topics including, but not limited to, the following:

• Preparative and processing techniques;
• Structure and morphology;
• Tailored optical properties;
• Bioactive coatings;
• Electrochemical sensors;
• Self-cleaning materials;
• Smart textiles;
• Biomimetic materials.

Dr. Florentina Monica Raduly
Dr. Valentin Raditoiu
Dr. Radu Claudiu Fierascu
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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. Crystals 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 2600 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.

• bioinspired materials
• organic–inorganic hybrid (nano)materials
• biomineralization
• X-ray diffraction
• photoluminescence
• infrared spectroscopy
• electron microscopy, diffraction and spectroscopy
• mechanical strength
• carrier transport
• sensors
• medical applications
• superhydrophobic surfaces