The ability to precisely assemble biological and bioinspired molecules into organized structures has contributed to significant advances in bionanotechnology. These advances include materials, structures, and devices that interface with biological systems. Here, I will present three such examples with chitin nanofibers and derivatives. The first example is chitin nanofiber ink — a solution of squid pen β-chitin that self-assembles into ultrafine α-chitin nanofibers upon drying. The second example is chitin nanofiber ink fabrication — chitin nanofiber micro- and nanostructures made with airbrushing, replica molding, and microcontact printing. The third example is bioprotonics — complementary field effect transistors with proton-conducting chitin derivatives containing acid and base functional groups.
This presentation was part of the Materials Today Virtual Conference: Biomaterials (19-21 November, 2013).
Speakers
Marco Rolandi, University of Washington