Bio-inspired inorganic nanomaterials for sustainable applications

Reference	Presenter	Authors (Institution)	Abstract
06-007	Ziqi Sun	Sun, Z.(Queensland University of Technology);	Unique structures and functions for plants and animals, which come very close to perfection to suit their specific living environments, have been evolved to suit their environment. Inspired by these interesting properties in nature, researchers have endeavoured to discover novel biological structures and functions and to develop novel artificial bio-inspired materials. In this study, we introduce a novel approach to achieve structure/function mimicking inorganic nanomaterials by designing architecture-defined complex nanostructures by learning from targeted natural species. For example, Bio-inspired ZnO nanostructures with designed wetting behaviors have been successfully fabricated by mimicking the natural photonic structures found in the cycloid scales of Asian Arowana (Scleropages) and the compound eyes of horse-flies (Hybomitra micans). The extraordinary properties of the bio-inspired nanostructures open a new way for designing novel multifunctional nanomaterials.
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