Living Plastics for Extreme Environments
Abstract
Living organisms (bacteria, fungi, algae) within material matrices have been formulated in polymeric hydrogels and nanoparticles, resulting in biofunctionalized systems which can be programmed to exhibit complex behavior. However, these systems face significant limitations and challenges, such as complicated processing methods and more significantly for this renewal proposal, lack of mechanically robust and durable, yet fully degradable-sustainable systems. Recently, in our current AFOSR grant, we developed an effective method for thermoplastic molding of silk protein powders that results in dense plastic-like materials with excellent mechanical properties. Remarkably, we showed that bioactive components like enzymes, as well as microorganisms, can be sequestered in these dense plastics and retain function even when the devices are prepared at greater than100 C at high pressure. Very recently, we discovered that these dense silk plastic-like matrices can also be formed at room temperature with appropriate pre-hydration considerations (plasticization with water). This process provides for the formation of the dense silk protein materials (e.g., plastic-like parts) with transparency, biocompatibility, and sustainability as hallmarks, to go with mechanical durability yet full degradability. The focus of this renewal is to further understand (Objective 1) and functionalize these plastics with living components (Objectives 2 and 3), adding new mechanistic insight into the process, as well as new functional attributes to these novel protein-based plastics, such as for utility in extreme environments due to the protective nature of the silk protein matrix. The goal is to explore functionalized living systems for extreme environments, developing dynamic functions (e.g., stimuli-response, self-hardening systems, self-healing) that become self-supporting or autonomous (e.g., photosynthesis for feedstocks to run bacterial metabolic reactions in the plastics). Such durable and functional plastics offer a novel way to preserve biological components (e.g., cells, enzymes, extremophiles), provide for material and device operations in extreme environments, and provide living plastic materials with true, living attributes (e.g., metabolic functions, hardening reactions, self-repair, selfcleaning).
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Mar 07, 2024
- Source ID
- FA95502310606
Entities
People
- David L. Kaplan
Organizations
- Air Force Office of Scientific Research
- Tufts University
- United States Air Force