Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Department of Biomaterials, Research Campus Golm, 14424 Potsdam, Germany.
Nature. 2009 Nov 26;462(7272):442-8. doi: 10.1038/nature08603.
Living organisms use composite materials for various functions, such as mechanical support, protection, motility and the sensing of signals. Although the individual components of these materials may have poor mechanical qualities, they form composites of polymers and minerals with a remarkable variety of functional properties. Researchers are now using these natural systems as models for artificial mechanosensors and actuators, through studying both natural structures and their interactions with the environment. In addition to inspiring the design of new materials, analysis of natural structures on this basis can provide insight into evolutionary constraints on structure-function relationships in living organisms and the variety of structural solutions that emerged from these constraints.
生物体利用复合材料来实现各种功能，例如机械支撑、保护、运动和信号感知。尽管这些材料的各个组成部分可能机械性能较差，但它们形成了聚合物和矿物质的复合材料，具有多种功能特性。研究人员现在通过研究自然结构及其与环境的相互作用，将这些自然系统用作人工机械传感器和执行器的模型。除了激发新材料的设计之外，在此基础上对自然结构的分析还可以深入了解生物体结构-功能关系的进化限制以及从这些限制中出现的各种结构解决方案。
