Synthesis, Assembly and Characterization of Biologically-Derived Materials with Novel Physical Properties

具有新颖物理性质的生物衍生材料的合成、组装和表征

• 批准号: RGPIN-2017-04598
• 负责人: DorvalCourchesne, NoemieManuelle
• 金额: $ 1.75万
• 依托单位: McGill University
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2020
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2020-01-01 至 2021-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=711139
• 关键词: Synthesis; Assembly; Characterization; Biologically; Derived

Electronic devices are an essential part of our daily lives. They include conventional batteries, solar panels, electronic circuits in computers, responsive touch screens, and many more. Generally, these devices rely on efficient or tunable charge transport phenomena. Recently, devices have become more portable and an interest in incorporating self-powered sensors, diagnosis systems, and other electronics in wearable clothing or skin patches is growing. However, traditional methods for constructing electronic devices require energy intensive processes, and involve the use of toxic chemicals and rare earth metals. Here, as an alternative, I propose to use non-toxic biologically-derived materials to assemble biocompatible, light weight, and environmentally-friendly devices. Nature has evolved microorganisms, proteins and biopolymers with exquisite properties. For instance, some proteins can spontaneously assemble into fibrous structures, and can easily be modified through genetic engineering to tune their properties. They can also be produced at low cost and large scale using inoffensive bacteria as factories. Such protein fibers, with nanoscale dimensions, can serve as building blocks to assemble nanowire-like structures. Specifically, two different types of fibers are of interest: 1) fibers with complex nanoscale structures or assembly properties that can serve as scaffolds for conductive materials; 2) naturally conductive protein fibers produced by bacteria that could directly be used directly as conductive materials and integrated in devices. First, this research program aims at engineering naturally-derived protein fibers to modify their physical properties, and allow them to conduct charges, fluoresce, or sense specific chemicals. Combining novel physical properties with biological functions such as biocompatibility or biomolecule recognition will lead to the development of multifunctional materials. Second, this program aims at exploiting naturally conductive fibers, and at scaling-up their production in order to harvest enough conductive fibers to fabricate real-world materials, electrodes, devices, and coatings for large surfaces. In both cases, the final materials will be incorporated into functional sensors for environmental contaminants or disease markers, and into various types of energy conversion and storage devices like solar cells or batteries. Engineered protein fibers will be non-toxic and light weight, and they could be integrated in clothes, or deposited on the skin to serve as wearable electrodes. Successful completion of this work will represent significant steps towards the creation of a new generation of biocompatible and more portable electronic devices. It could lead to changes in the fabrication processes required to produce common devices, while minimizing consumers and industries environmental impact.

电子设备是我们日常生活的重要组成部分。 它们包括传统电池、太阳能电池板、计算机中的电子电路、响应式触摸屏等等。 一般来说，这些器件依赖于高效或可调节的电荷传输现象。 最近，设备变得更加便携，人们对将自供电传感器、诊断系统和其他电子设备集成到可穿戴衣服或皮肤贴片中的兴趣与日俱增。 然而，构建电子设备的传统方法需要能源密集型过程，并且涉及有毒化学品和稀土金属的使用。 在这里，作为替代方案，我建议使用无毒的生物衍生材料来组装生物相容性、重量轻且环保的设备。 大自然进化出了具有精致特性的微生物、蛋白质和生物聚合物。 例如，一些蛋白质可以自发组装成纤维结构，并且可以通过基因工程轻松修改以调整其特性。 它们还可以使用无害细菌作为工厂以低成本大规模生产。 这种具有纳米级尺寸的蛋白质纤维可以作为组装纳米线状结构的构建块。 具体来说，有两种不同类型的纤维受到关注：1）具有复杂纳米级结构或组装特性的纤维，可以用作导电材料的支架； 2）由细菌产生的天然导电蛋白纤维，可以直接用作导电材料并集成到设备中。 首先，该研究项目旨在改造天然蛋白质纤维，以改变其物理特性，并允许它们传导电荷、发出荧光或感知特定化学物质。 将新颖的物理特性与生物相容性或生物分子识别等生物功能相结合将导致多功能材料的开发。 其次，该计划旨在利用天然导电纤维，并扩大其生产规模，以便收获足够的导电纤维来制造真实世界的材料、电极、设备和大表面涂层。 在这两种情况下，最终材料都将被整合到环境污染物或疾病标记的功能传感器中，以及各种类型的能量转换和存储设备中，例如太阳能电池或电池组。 工程蛋白纤维无毒且重量轻，可以集成到衣服中，或沉积在皮肤上作为可穿戴电极。 这项工作的成功完成将代表着朝着创建新一代生物相容性和更便携的电子设备迈出的重要一步。它可能会导致生产通用设备所需的制造工艺发生变化，同时最大限度地减少对消费者和行业的环境影响。