Project Details
Fibers, non-woven meshes, and hydrogels based on spider silk and magnetic nanoparticles for bio-inspired shaping and filtering systems
Applicant
Professor Dr. Thomas Scheibel
Subject Area
Fluid Mechanics
Term
from 2015 to 2021
Project identifier
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 283299309
The objective of this project is to establish a scientific and technological basis for novel bio-inspired shaping systems based on hybrids made of magnetic nanoparticles and spider silk proteins. The employed engineered and recombinantly produced spider silk proteins can be covalently cross-linked with specific magnetic nanoparticles using site-specific chemistry, or they can be blended with a variety of magnetic nano particles. Based on the natural behavior of the underlying spider silk proteins, assembly and processing into nano-, micro- and macroscopic fibrillar structures is possible in a controllable manner. Upon coupling or blending with magnetic nanoparticles, the resulting spider silk fibers, fiber meshes, and fibrillar hydrogels will be analyzed concerning their magnetic responsivity, shaping abilities and concerning their applicability exemplary as filter systems with controllable pore sizes.
DFG Programme
Priority Programmes