A characterization suite for silk-enabled bioelectronic devices and interfaces
Abstract
The peculiar structural and biological properties of structural proteins in general and silk in particular make this ancient material a promising platform for the realization of innovative technology, bridging the worlds of biology and electronics. Regenerated silk fibroin derived from natural silk fibers has unique properties, which include ease of biofunctionalization and the ability to incorporate and stabilize labile biological components, maintaining their physiological functionality. Moreover, from soft biomimetic scaffolds to extremely flexible and mechanically robust bioplastics, silk can be engineered into a variety of different formats by means of up- scalable and accessible processing techniques, with different mechanical properties as a result of the strong structure-function correlation of this biomaterial. When biological dopants are incorporated to produce silk responsiveness to biochemical and biophysical stimuli, these features constitute remarkable assets towards the realization of unprecedented technological bio- interfaces, paving the way towards a novel kind of hybrid bioelectronics at the intersection of microelectronics and biology. The overarching objective of the projects advanced in this proposal leverages the just mentioned and unusual multifunctional characteristics of silk, and addresses the realization of a set of innovative bioelectronic sensing and actuating devices, operating with biofunctionalized and/or doped silk as the active material seamlessly integrated in device fabrication workflows. These bioelectronic sensors and actuators, based on biomaterials operating in conjunction with both organic and inorganic semiconductors, include optoelectronic and multianalyte sensors, wireless edible/biocompatible sensors, soft electro-mechanical and electro-optical actuators. This research is thus of strategic relevance for ONR, as it may lead to the development of wearable, large-area camouflaging garments, and enhanced systems for real-time health monitoring in challenging environments (airborne, underwater). Each of the studies requires the parallel investigation of two critical aspects pertaining to silk- based materials and composites: (i) the microscopic structure-function correlation of the structural proteins constituting silk, largely responsible for the intrinsic functionalities of the active layer, and (ii) the charge transport/dielectric properties of the sensing or actuating components, which provide the means to transduce biochemical interactions into electrical signals. The relevance of both these lines of investigation towards the realization and optimization of useful technology is at the basis of this proposal, which requests a comprehensive electrical and optical characterization suite whose capabilities will enable the thorough analysis and operation of the diverse set of hybrid devices proposed in this document. The direct impact of the requested instrumentation will hence be the development of a new class of hybrid bioelectronic devices exploiting the unique functionalities of silk to perform electronically controlled sensing and actuation. This equipment will also provide other DoD grantee in the greater Boston area with access to a comprehensive and user-friendly bioelectronics characterization suite for bio-hybrid devices. Apart from supporting world-class research, it will offer learning and research opportunities to US undergraduate students, graduate students and post-doctoral researchers in the emerging field of bioelectronics and contribute to the training and development of the next generation of interdisciplinary scientists and innovators at the interface of life sciences, high-technology, and technological surprise. This abstract is publicly releasable.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Aug 20, 2019
- Source ID
- N000141912534
Entities
People
- Fiorenzo Omenetto
Organizations
- Office of Naval Research
- Tufts University
- United States Navy