Lecture series on Biomimetics

THU 16:30-18:30

https://epfl.zoom.us/j/83579665791?

Summary

This course gives a comprehensive view of Biomimetics, with especial focus and hierarchical structure-function relationships. We explore the physical principles of bioinspired nanostructures and biomechanics, and their application to the design of creative and sustainable materials.

Content

Nature has achieved effective hierarchical architectures and smart response to stimuli through more than four billion years of evolution. In this course,  we will discuss  both natural and bioinspired systems from their fundamental physical chemistry properties, the factors determining its nucleation and growth across different scales,  and their applications.
The course offers a broad program on structure-function of biomimetic systems with speakers from EFFL and other top universities in Switzerland, Europe and the United States (via zoom). It is intended to be interesting for physicists, chemists, and material scientists.

 

The lectures cover the following topics:
- Nucleation and growth from a physicist perspective
- Bioelectricity
- Biomechanics
- Biopolymers and bioinspired polymers
- Chiral nanostructures
- Self cleaning interfaces: structural hidrophobicity
- Nanophotonics and metamaterials, structural colors in Nature
- Bioinspired Antimicrobial surfaces
- Nanopores and energy flow
- Microfluidics in bioinspired drops
- Principles of Natural and artificial photosynthesis
- Self-healing systems

• Mechanisms of pattern formation and self-assembly across different length scales
• Bioinspired block-copolymer thin films and nano/micro particles
• Smart nanostructured materials (responsive to light, pH, heat, etc).
• Deciphering and tuning biomineralization

Keywords

biomimetics, biomimicry, biophysics, nanoscience, biointerfaces, chirality, bioelectricity, self-assembly

https://edu.epfl.ch/coursebook/en/lecture-series-on-biomimetics-PHYS-816