以晶体生长原理重塑蚕丝柔性材料世界的未来

本文通过先进的结构表征手段,证实了包括丝蛋白材料在内的多种柔性材料内存在典型的介观多级结构和晶体网络结构。由于柔性材料中介观结构特别是晶体网络结构对于其宏观性能的有决定性影响,全面深入了解内部晶体的生长动力学和晶体网络结构的介观重构尤为重要。根据丝蛋白分子折叠成丝蛋白材料的最新研究成果,将晶体研究的方法,包括结晶动力学,应用到柔性材料的研究之中后,确定丝蛋白材料的形成过程遵循典型的“成核-结晶”机理。不仅如此,通过定向设计和控制晶体网络的形成及关键结构参数,如晶体密度、取向度、掺杂分子成核引发剂等,还可以实现柔性材料的介观重构与介观功能化,为发展全新的柔性介观光、电子学提供了可能。

Applying Crystallization Theory to Reshape Future of Cocoon Silk Soft Materials

Attributed to advanced structrual characterization techniques, mesoscopic hierarchical structures as well as crystal network structures are revealed in different varieties of soft materials including silk fibroin materials. Noting the close correlation between mesoscopic structures (especially the crystal network structures) and macroscopic performance of silk fibroin materials, comprehensive investigations on the formation of crystallites and crystal network are utmost important. Based on latest research studying on how silk fibroin molecules refold into higher levels of structures within silk fibroin materials, it is determined that the crystallization theory can well predict the formation process of silk fibroin materials and the corresponding kinetics. Nevertheless, the rational design and mesoscopic reconstruction of silk fibroin materials can be implemented by controlling the molecular crystallization, such as crystal density, orientation degree, doped molecular nucleation intiator and so on, which endows noval functions to silk fibroin materials and other soft materials.