Rheotactically structured and hierarchically organized materials

• Applicant: Dr. Daniel Van Opdenbosch
• Subject Area: Synthesis and Properties of Functional Materials
• Term: from 2018 to 2021
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 404401992

Within the proposed project, macroscopically monolithic and anisotropic hierarchically organized materials will be developed with control over their geometries on all length scales. In a first processing step, structural templates will be created through rheotactic exopolysaccharide (EPS) streamer formation in substrate-bound biofilms, as well as through the native chemo- and phototaxis of the EPS-producing microbes. Such EPS possess hierarchical internal structurings on the 1-, 10- and 100 Nanometer scales, which allow the deposition of materials. Contrelling the geometries on the macroscale will be achieved through the -for example additive- manufacturing of the porous substrates. On the micrometer- and submicrometer scales, the parameters of streamer formation, determined in the first work package will serve to control the structure formation. In a second step, the prepared templates shall be transformed to engineering materials using biotemplating approaches. These will be tested with regard to two applications. These applications are macroscopic bio-mimetic hierarchically organized tough composites from inorganic materials with an interpenetrating disperse polysaccharide phase for contruction, as well as purely inorganic monolithic micro- and mesoporous materials with streamlined macropores for liquid chromatography. In the first of two work packages, the structure formation via biofilm streamers in porous substrates based on the main parameters pressure, time and composition of the streaming fluids shall be characterized. In the second work package, and in coordination with the first work package, the materials formation during the deposition of inorganic phases in threedimensionally structured exopolysachcaride networks shall be assessed with regard to the two envisioned applications. Here, separate or in situ mineralization routes of polymeric templates will be assessed.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• International Connection: Austria
• Cooperation Partner: Privatdozent Dr. Gerhard Fritz-Popovski