Biomaterials capable of transmitting signals over longer distances than those in rigid electronics can open new opportunities for humanity by mimicking the way tissues propagate information. For seamless mirroring of the human body, they also have to display conformability to its curvilinear architecture, as well as, reproducing native-like mechanical and electrical properties combined with the ability to self-heal on demand like native organs and tissues. Along these lines, a multifunctional composite is developed by mixing silk fibroin and reduced graphene oxide. The material is coined "CareGum" and capitalizes on a phenolic glue to facilitate sacrificial and hierarchical hydrogen bonds. The hierarchal bonding scheme gives rise to high mechanical toughness, record-breaking elongation capacity of ≈25 000%, excellent conformability to arbitrary and complex surfaces, 3D printability, a tenfold increase in electrical conductivity, and a fourfold increase in Young's modulus compared to its pristine counterpart. By taking advantage of these unique properties, a durable and self-healing bionic glove is developed for hand gesture sensing and sign translation. Indeed, CareGum is a new advanced material with promising applications in fields like cyborganics, bionics, soft robotics, human-machine interfaces, 3D-printed electronics, and flexible bioelectronics.

The Manufacture of Unbreakable Bionics via Multifunctional and Self-Healing Silk-Graphene Hydrogels.

Processing, mechanical properties and bio-applications of silk fibroin-based high-strength hydrogels

Recent Advances on Graphene: Synthesis, Properties, and Applications

A review on antibacterial silk fibroin-based biomaterials: current state and prospects

Due to the lack of blood and nutrition supply, the repairing of cartilage defect has become a challenging topic in clinical treatment. Herein, a unique porous scaffold based on regenerated silk fibroin (RSF) was fabricated by using freeze-drying after enzymatical crosslinking. Results showed that the pore size, mechanical properties and cytocompatibility of the scaffold were all significantly improved by proper combination of bacterial cellulose nanofiber ribbon (BCNR), thus much appropriate for cartilage regeneration. Based on this RSF/BCNR composite scaffold , the effects of stair-stepping shaped dynamic hydrostatic pressure (DHP) on the construction of tissue engineered cartilage in vitro and dynamic loading microenvironment on the regeneration of cartilage defect in vivo have been comprehensively investigated for the first time. Compared with traditional static culture, DHP has obviously enhancing chondrocyte growth and cartilage specific matrix deposition. Compared with the unloading microenvironment in vivo , corresponding dynamic loading microenvironment significantly improved cartilage regeneration, as it presented apparent cartilage lacuna like structure and thicker newly formed cartilage tissue. The insights of in vitro and in vivo dynamic mechanical stimulations enhancing effects on cartilage regeneration based on the RSF/BCNR composite scaffold revealed in this study could provide valuable guidance for the construction of optimal tissue engineered cartilage and the clinical prevention and treatment of orthopedic diseases. • A unique RSF/BCNR composite scaffold with improved pore size, mechanical strength and cytocompatibility was fabricated. • Effects of dynamic mechanical stimulations on the in vitro and in vivo cartilage regeneration have been comprehensively investigated. • Dynamic mechanical stimulations have significantly improved cartilage regeneration based on the RSF/BCNR scaffold. 

Effects of dynamic mechanical stimulations on the regeneration of in vitro and in vivo cartilage tissue based on silk fibroin scaffold

Silk fibroin/reduced graphene oxide composite mats with enhanced mechanical properties and conductivity for tissue engineering.

Generally, electrospun silk fibroin scaffolds collected by traditional plates present limited pore size and mechanical properties, which may restrict their biomedical applications. Herein, regenerated Antheraea pernyi silk fibroin (RASF) with excellent inherent cell adhesion property was chosen as a raw material and the conductive metal meshes were used as collectors to prepare modified RASF scaffolds by electrospinning from its aqueous solution. A traditional intact plate was used as a control. The morphology and mechanical properties of the obtained scaffolds were investigated. Schwann cells were further used to assess the cytocompatibility and cell migration ability of the typical scaffolds. Interestingly, compared with the traditional intact plate, the mesh collector with an appropriate gap size (circa 7 mm) could significantly improve the pore size, porosity and mechanical properties of the RASF scaffolds simultaneously. In addition, the scaffold collected under this condition (RASF-7mmG) showed higher cell viability, deeper cell permeation and faster cell migration of Schwann cells. Combined with the excellent inherent properties of ASF and the obviously enhanced scaffold cytocompatibility and mechanical properties, the RASF-7mmG scaffold is expected to be a candidate with great potential for biomedical applications.

Electrospun regenerated Antheraea pernyi silk fibroin scaffolds with improved pore size, mechanical properties and cytocompatibility using mesh collectors.

Reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (RISs) play an essential role in various applications, such as next-generation communication, uncrewed vehicles, and vital sign recognizers. However, in the terahertz (THz) region, the development of RISs is limited because of lacking tunable phase shifters and low-cost sensors. Here, we developed an integrated self-adaptive metasurface (SAM) with THz wave detection and modulation capabilities based on the phase change material. By applying various coding sequences, the metasurface could deflect THz beams over an angle range of 42.8°. We established a software-defined sensing reaction system for intelligent THz wave manipulation. In the system, the SAM self-adaptively adjusted the THz beam deflection angle and stabilized the reflected power in response to the detected signal without human intervention, showing vast potential in eliminating coverage dead zones and other applications in THz communication. Our programmable controlled SAM creates a platform for intelligent electromagnetic information processing in the THz regime.

Xinru Wang

Papers

Silk fibroin/reduced graphene oxide composite mats with enhanced mechanical properties and conductivity for tissue engineering.

Electrospun regenerated Antheraea pernyi silk fibroin scaffolds with improved pore size, mechanical properties and cytocompatibility using mesh collectors.

Electrically addressable integrated intelligent terahertz metasurface

Fabrication and characterization of regenerated Antheraea pernyi silk fibroin scaffolds for Schwann cell culturing

A Multifunctional Coating with Silk Fibroin/Chitosan Quaternary Ammonium Salt/Heparin Sodium for Az31b Magnesium Alloy