Bioinspired Engineering of Living Material Systems

From DNA to proteins, from cells to plants, biomaterials demonstrate superior functions by harvesting environmental resources for adaptive assemblies and actuations. The movement, whether passive or active, are largely dependent on amplification by geometry and material anisotropy in response to environmental cues. Inspired by nature, we create soft polymer networks with tailored molecular chemistry and anisotropy at nanoscale. Together with geometric designs at micro- and macroscales, we pre-program and reprogram material’s dynamic and active responses. Further, by incorporating 1D and 2D nanomaterials (e.g. carbon nanotubes, graphene and gold nanorods) and chiral dopants, we demonstrate soft robots with tendon-like actuators, shape shifting into different curvatures, and inflatable 3D displays in response to heat, light, magnetic field, electric field and pressure.