Bio-inspiration is a powerful concept to develop novel functional materials. A special edition of leading journal Advanced Materials, edited by Unifr Prof. Nico Bruns and his University of Cambridge colleague Silvia Vignolini, presents bio-inspired materials of many types. This includes wood‐based water‐purification systems, mussel‐protein‐inspired glues, diatoms that encapsulate drugs, fiber‐reinforced composites that indicate damage by bleeding, and pigments that mimic the iridescent color of insects and plants. Authors include Prof. Alke Fink, Prof. Barbara Rothen, Prof. Christoph Weder, Prof. Michael Mayer, Prof. Ullrich Steiner, as well as many other researchers from the Adolphe Merkle Institute at Unifr.  

Advanced Materials, Volume 30, Issue 19

Cover art by Michel Spuch