Life relies on naturally occurring polymers (including melanins, cellulose, lignin, biosilica, and structural proteins like silk fibroins and collagen) that perform diverse and complex biological functions in living organisms. Biological polymers have been increasingly utilized in designing advanced materials that mimic nature, owing to their molecular functionalities, macromolecular structures, and versatile material properties for photonics, electronics, sustainable wearable products and architectural design, and nanotechnology. While natural sources provide an abundant supply of biological polymers, chemical modifications and implementation into hybrid architectures offer promising avenues for the development of advanced materials with superior performances.
The 2nd edition of the MRS Fall Symposium on Biological and Bio-Inspired Polymers aims to bring together leading scientists from diverse backgrounds and technical fields across academia and industry to share cutting-edge progress and challenges on biological and bio-inspired polymers. Discussion will focus on the materials aspect with applications discussed to complement and illustrate underlying chemical and physical properties. These will include biosynthesis, self-assembly, chemical or biological modification, and generation of new bio-hybrid systems, with the ultimate goal of unravelling the physical properties of complex chemical and biological systems. Advanced materials based on bio-inspired nano- and micro-structures will be covered, as well as devices and applications in photonics, electronics, biomedicine, and energy.