Biomimetics engineering

X. Chen, G. S. Lee, A. Zettl, and C. R. Bertozzi, Biomimetic engineering of carbon nanotubes by using cell surface mucin mimics, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 43 (2004)6112-6116. 

N. B. Holland, Y. Qiu, M. Ruegsegger, and R. E. Marchant, Biomimetic engineering of nonadhesive glycocalyx-like surfaces using oligosaccharide surfactant molecules, Nature 392, 799-801 (1998). 

Scientists at CSIRO Australia are using biomimetic engineering to produce food with solar energy [132]. 

Holland, N.B. Qiu, Y. Ruegsegger, M. Marchant, R.E. Biomimetic engineering of non-adhesive glycocalyx-like surfaces using oligosaccharide surfactant polymers. Nature 1998, 392 (6678), 799-801. 

Chen X, Lee GS, Zettl A et al (2004) Biomimetic engineering of carbon nanotubes by using cell stuface mudn mimics. Angew Chem Int Ed 43 6112-6116... 

Teeri, T.T., Brumer 111, H., Daniel, G., Gatenhokn, R, 2007. Biomimetic engineering of cellulose-based materials. Trends Biotechnol. 25, 299-306. 

Another journal. Materials Science and Engineering (MSE), was started by another commercial publisher at about the same time as JMS. This had only one editor, a metallurgist, from the start, and so in spite of its stated objectives, it remained almost wholly metallurgical for many years. When eventually it became broader under a new editor, it was split into several independent journals with distinct editorial boards, each of them relatively broad-spectrum - in particular, one devoted to functional materials, and another to biomimetics. The main MSE remained in being, and has remained largely metallurgical after 35 years. 

A. K. Dillow and A. M. Lowman (eds.), Biomimetic Materials Design, Biointerfacial Strategies, Tissue Engineering, and Targeted Drug Delivery, Marcel Dekker, New York, 2002. 

Bakke et al. (1982) have shown how montmorillonite catalyses chlorination and nitration of toluene nitration leads to 56 % para and 41 % ortho derivative compared to approximately 40 % para and 60 % ortho derivatives in the absence of the catalyst. Montmorillonite clays have an acidity comparable to nitric acid / sulphuric acid mixtures and the use of iron-exchanged material (Clayfen) gives a remarkable improvement in the para, ortho ratio in the nitration of phenols. The nitration of estrones, which is relevant in making various estrogenic drugs, can be improved in a remarkable way by using molecular engineered layer structures (MELS), while a reduction in the cost by a factor of six has been indicated. With a Clayfen type catalyst, it seems possible to manipulate the para, ortho ratio drastically for a variety of substrates and this should be useful in the manufacture of fine chemicals. In principle, such catalysts may approach biomimetic chemistry our ability to predict selectivity is very limited. 

Leonor, I.B., Azevedo, H.S., Alves, C.M. and Reis, R.L. (2003) Effects of the incorporation of proteins and active enzymes on biomimetic caldum-phosphate coatings. Key Engineering Materials, 240-242, 97—100. 

Materials Science and Engineering C Biomimetic and Supramolecular Systems, 26, 328—333. 

Julian Vincent ist Professor fur Biomimetik an der Universitat Bath und Direktor des Zentrums fur Biomimetic and Natural Technologies - Department of Mechanical Engineering... 

Julian Vincent is Professor of Biomimetics at the University of Bath and Director of the Centre for Biomimetic and Natural Technologies at the Department of Mechanical Engineering... 

M. Trotta, F. Milano, L. Nagy and A. Agostiano, Materials Science Engineering C-Biomimetic and Supramolecular Systems, 2002,22,263. 

For Further Reading M. Jacoby, Iron-rich zeolite stands up to water, Chemical and Engineering News. September 15, 1997, pp. 8-9. P. T. Tanev and T. J. Pinnavaia, Biomimetic templating of porous lamellar silicas by vesicular surfactant assemblies, Science 271 1267-1269. J. M. Thomas, Solid acid catalysts, Scientific American, April 1992, pp. 112-118. 

Future studies will focus on understanding the contribution of different hierarchical levels to the overall performance of the tissue. This in turn will allow the optimum design of biomimetics and future biomaterials, and will provide essential information for tissue engineering. 

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