The next generations of advanced materials are expected to
have unprecedented functionalities. We want them to respond
to environmental cues, transform at our whim, heal, self-
replicate, adapt to changes, be capable of learning and so on.
The development of such materials is
a
key challenge with an
immense impact on society. This effort is in its infancy and
requires innovative approaches to materials design and methods
of construction.
Functionalities we expect from future advanced materials seem
like those that already exist in biological systems. These biological
materials are highly functional, and this comes from highly
specific
interactions on
a
microscopic level that are transferred
to macroscopic behaviour through coupled reactions, feedback
mechanisms and hierarchical information processing. A ‘biology-
inspired design’ is
a
powerful paradigm for synthesising advanced
materials and relies on the bottom-up design of building blocks with
precisely programmed interactions. The building blocks assemble,
without external actuation, into
a
functional material, and this
takes place in solution, driven by thermal fluctuations, catalysts, or
energy-donating solutes.
Techniques for bottom-up assembly of materials exist, yet despite
decades of research there is still no general ...
