BioInspiration

Watch: Design inspired by nature

Advanced materials. Chemical sensors. Acoustic spaces. Solar cells. All can be improved by taking design principles from animal and plant systems.

BioInspiration – it's technology inspired by nature.

Bioinformed design of bioreceptive building surfaces

This project uses quantitative analysis of naturally occurring surface geometries alongside with artificial-intelligence form-generation to produce innovative bioreceptive cladding for urban structures.

Cities are important sites of biodiversity and have a great potential to do more.

This project identifies on cryptograms as a missing link in urban ecosystem and a high-reward opportunity. Mosses, lichens, and liverworts already live in cities. Their presence provides significant ecosystem services that include pollution monitoring, stormwater management, surface temperature reduction and urban-heat mitigation as well as important contributions to physiological and psychological health of urban populations.

Cities contain large areas of lifeless building and pavement surfaces. Green roofs and walls attempt to use such surfaces as habitats but focus on large vascular plants. These design solutions can be costly to install and maintain. In response, we complement these efforts with bioinformed designs that mimic biological soil crusts (biocrusts) and moss carpets that we generalise as ‘near-surface ecosystems’. Such communities of plants, insects, fungi, and bacteria can persist in harsh climatic conditions on arid, windswept, and sunbeaten urban surfaces.

Coordinating investigator: Dr Stanislav Roudavski (Deep Design Lab)

Mussel inspired production of antibacterial composites

Antibiotic resistance is a global health challenge that involves the transfer of bacteria and genes between humans, animals, and the environment. Antibiotic treatment is becoming increasingly ineffective against bacterial infections due to the rise of resistance. Drug-resistant bacteria are expected to cause 10 million deaths each year by 2050, more than cancer and diabetes. The current and foreseeable pipeline of conventional antibiotics is insufficient to meet the rise in antibiotic resistance. Therefore, novel strategies for the design and development of antibacterial agents are urgently needed.

Mussels exhibit excellent underwater adhesion on the rock of the sea floor. Polyphenols were verified as the main source of this strong adhesion, inspired by which we are going to use polyphenols as substrate materials to fabricate antibacterial nanocomposites.

Coordinating investigator: Dr Tao Huang

Develop a method to measure iron concentration to atomic level

Iron is one of the most important metal ions for life. It is necessary for haemoglobin synthesis and bound to a wide range of enzymes for essential metabolic processes. Iron imbalances can overtime cause certain types of cancer, as well as Alzheimer's Disease and Parkinson's Disease. Iron is also essential for bacteria to grow, and it is required in many of their physiological processes. This project will aim to replicate the way that bacteria absorb iron from the environment and help in iron homeostasis within human body.

Desferrioxamine (DFO) is a bacterial siderophore. Siderophores are produced by bacteria and have high affinity to complex with iron. In biological media, bacteria secrete DFO to sequester iron from an inorganic or biological source then DFO-iron complex return to the parent cell.

We will take advantage of the quantum-based magnetometry, pioneered by our team, to study the iron level in DFO structure. This study assists to develop an accurate and fast method to measure the iron concentration with sensitivity down to atomic level.

Coordinating investigator: Dr Mina Barzegaramiriolya

Pressure-drop and permeability measurements in 3D printed miniature Gyroid geometry

Biological systems in nature consist of cellular materials that have unique topologies and structures at different length scales. Compared with man-made structures, cellular materials demonstrate much higher multifunctionalities such as high stiffness-to-weight ratio, heat dissipation control, and enhanced mechanical energy absorption. In this project we are inspired by the naturally occurring materials, such a butterfly wing and bone structures that combine the properties of high stiffness-to-weight ratio as well as permeability. Researchers have found that special mathematically derived 3D porous structures called Triply-Periodic-Minimal-Surface (TPMS) having zero mean curvature mimic these natural materials. Till now manufacturing these mathematical structures were limited, but recent advances in 3D printing have made it possible to manufacture them in laboratories and at scale. Current focus, however, in on the mechanical strength of these structures, whereas minimal progress has been made in characterizing flow properties (via permeability). The present project focuses on the measurement of permeability at pore scale that are at least an order of magnitude smaller than currently available.

Coordinating investigator: Dr Jimmy Philip

Image courtesy Wevolver.com

A bioinspired device for tear collection

Our team is developing a microlitre tear collection system, as a companion device to a novel, portable tear diagnostic platform: ADMiER (Acoustically-Driven, Microfluidic Extensional Rheometry) that analyses the viscoelasticity (stretchiness) of a small tear droplet to diagnose dry eye disease. Dry eye is a highly prevalent condition, affects one in five adults, and imparts substantial healthcare and societal costs. A major barrier to dry eye sufferers receiving optimal care is the clinical challenge of accurate diagnosis.

Judicious design of a minimally-invasive tear collection system is vital to the success of the ADMiER platform, given that the intimidation experienced by patients from a traditional micropipette used to extract tears can lead to poor patient acceptance, and hence clinical uptake. A ‘non-threatening’, bioinspired microfluidic tear extraction system will advance ADMiER’s development and revolutionise eye-care practice through early, rapid and accurate diagnosis of tear deficiency to inform more precise treatment.

Co-ordinating investigator: Associate Professor Laura Downie

Image: Katrina Rankin

Marine mollusc inspired routes to controllable magnetic nanoparticle synthesis

Understanding how biological systems assemble complex hierarchical structures under ambient conditions is of enormous interest in advanced manufacturing. This project will provide a fundamentally new view of biomineralisation, as inspired by the chiton marine mollusc, which mineralise iron to produce a specialised set of teeth for abrasive removal of algae from rocks. Critically, these teeth contain biosynthesised magnetite: the hardest known biomineral.

While chiton have evolved exquisite room temperature methods to biomineralise ultra-hard, morphology-controlled magnetite, synthetic methods at or near room temperature for magnetite nanomaterials offer little to no control of product composition, morphology, or magnetic properties.

Using quantum-based magnetic microscopy, pioneered by our team, we will characterise the iron phase transformations in organic-based platforms that template the controlled nucleation and growth of magnetite. Visualising this will allow us to understand and tune the nucleation and growth of magnetite crystals in aqueous, room-temperature syntheses across different solid precursor phases. We will apply this knowledge to deliver magnetic nanoparticles for critically important applications in solar cell fabrication and biomedicine.

Co-ordinating investigator: Dr Liam Hall

Butterfly-inspired light-matter blends towards new light-based technologies

The lives of Australians are increasingly improved by light driven technologies, whether they be for display and lighting, or cheaper and more carbon neutral energy production. The next generation of optoelectronic devices may contain organic light-absorbing materials (for example, pigments) for flexibility and cost-effectiveness, but also photonic structures – micro/nanostructures that trap and manipulate light – to increase efficiency. A continuing challenge however is to find better ways to combine pigments and photonic structures for integration into future devices.

Nature has engineered its own examples of the close interaction between photonic structures and pigments, wonderful examples of which are found on the surfaces of butterfly wings. These wings feature nanostructured scales which induce iridescence by optical interference effects, so-called structural colour, but also closely associated pigments which further manipulate the appearance of the insect. These structures are thus naturally evolved corollaries to the synthetic pigment/photonic structures that are of so much interest for next-generation optoelectronics.

This project will develop new designs for light-driven technologies via biomimetic reverse engineering of the morphology- and pigment-induced light interactions found on butterfly wings.

Co-ordinating investigator: Dr James Hutchison

Image by James Hutchison: Photographs under natural light (left) and ultraviolet (UV) light (right) of the Cairns birdwing butterfly (Ornithoptera euphorion). The yellow fluorescence indicates the distribution of pigment amongst the structural coloration on the wings.

Develop a sustainable building material – using mushrooms

Cladding is used to protect and insulate buildings. Usually, cladding ‘sandwich’ panels are made with aluminium and synthetic materials. This makes them cheap, light and easy to install. But it also means they leave a large carbon footprint.

Mycelium, on the other hand, has the required properties for sandwich panels while being biodegradable. It is porous, hard and lightweight and can be produced in a way that is environmentally sustainable. And it is easy to grow in any size and shape. Mycelium is the network of fibres from which mushrooms flower.

At present, mycelium has been commercialised for use in packaging and for interior building linings and fittings. But it has not been developed into a viable composite system for use in exterior environments. This project will explore the following:

• Can we harness the power of mycelium to devise more sustainable technology for our house cladding?
• Can this technology innovation inspire more sustainable circular economy models in the building industry?

Coordinating Investigator: Associate Professor Janet McGaw

Super-iridescent, strong and beautiful materials inspired by the most successful animal on earth: beetles

Excluding bacteria, almost one-quarter of all living creatures are beetles. They are quite simply the most successful group of animals on the planet. A key contributor to this success is the strong exoskeleton including the shell that protects the beetles’ wings. These shells are also visually striking because they use nanostructured films to manipulate light in diverse ways.

Films with a similar appearance are produced using advanced industrial processes. They’re widely used in a broad range of coatings, security features and sensors. This project aims to understand the optical properties of microscopic twisted features in the shell of scarab beetles. We will also uncover the complex light-matter interactions influencing the appearance of the beetle shell.

The ultimate goal is to create super-iridescent coatings that can be produced using industrially scalable and environmentally sustainable methods – inspired by beetles.

Coordinating Investigator: Professor Ann Roberts

A holistic framework for developing futuristic bioinspired cellular structures for blast protection

We are developing the world’s first protective bioinspired cellular structure.

Protective structures are needed to keep people, buildings, vehicles and infrastructure safe from explosive and blast damage. Currently, many engineered cellular structures are being investigated for protective applications. But their small set of design parameters produce simple structures with limited performance.

Using solutions from nature – such a bone structure – we will develop protective structures that perform better than existing products. This will produce real-world benefits for the building and defence industries.

Coordinating investigator: Dr Abdallah Ghazlan

Image: David Gregory & Debbie Marshall (CC BY 4.0)

Bioinspired bactericidal ‘nano-knife’ coatings for orthopaedic implants

We are developing coatings for prosthetic joints to protect against common bacterial infections.

Joint replacement surgery helps to improve the quality of life for millions of people around the world each year. Yet around 2 per cent of patients experience complications as a result of bacterial infection during surgery. Bacteria can form biofilms on the surfaces of a prosthetic joint, which shields them from antibiotics.

But nature has developed another way to kill bacteria – using knife-like nanostructures called chitin nanopillar arrays. These nanostructures are found on cicada and dragonfly wings. They evolved as waterproofing and anti-fouling agents and can mechanically rupture and kill bacterial cells.

Inspired by the size, shape and arrangement of these nanostructure arrays, we will optimise the coatings of prosthetic joints to protect against common bacterial pathogens. We will also design ways to add the coatings to prosthetic joints before surgery. This will provide a chemical-free way to prevent infection at the implant site.

Coordinating Investigator: Dr Sacha Pidot

Bamboo-inspired production of 3D-printed hierarchical porous bio-ceramic tissue scaffolds

We are developing a scaffold for bone tissue engineering that takes inspiration from bamboo.

Surgeons treating bone tissue defects use these scaffolds to encourage the growth of new bone. To work properly, tissue scaffolds need to have particular biological and mechanical properties. For example, they have to interact with living tissue without triggering the immune system to attack. They need to be porous yet strong. And they have to be biodegradable.

Bamboo has a high stiffness-to-density ratio. Using bioresorbable and bioactive ceramics, the team will produce a scaffold that mimics the microstructure of bamboo. We will also investigate the relationships between formulation, processing, structure, and performance.

Our aim is to produce an easily manufactured 3D-printed tissue scaffold that mimics the microstructure of bamboo.

Coordinating investigator: Dr Daniel Heath

Squid-inspired lighting: the functional bio-bulb

We are creating the world’s first “functional bio-bulb” – a light that works using bioluminescence.

Bioluminescence – the production of light by a living organism – has inspired human imagination since ancient times. The Kombumerri people of south-east Queensland believe that bioluminescent fungi are the spirits of their ancestors. Ancient Greeks were captivated by the “cold light” of the sea, which was produced by marine creatures.

Bioluminescence has attracted significant interest as a light source. It is efficient, has low environmental impact, and produces soft light in unique colours. But developing a working light using bioluminescence faces some challenges.

They include:

• Developing a way to switch the light on and off
• Dealing with waste produced by the bioluminescent organism
• Modulating the intensity of the light.

Using mathematical models, synthetic biology and design, we will create the world’s first “functional bio-bulb”.

Coordinating Investigator: Dr Matt Faria

Image: Chris Frazee and Margaret McFall-Ngai

Watch: Meet our BioInspired Researcher - Professor Mark Elgar