Recent Advances in Small-Scale Bio/Inorganic Interface Research

Bio/inorganic interface has been emerging as an indispensable and remarkable component for the breadth and depth of its impact on society as well as different scientific disciplines, for instance in energy, medicine and healthcare. These complex hybrid material systems, especially at small scale, require the crosstalk of advancement of theoretical studies, exploitation of computational methods, and non-traditional experimental validations to unveil their underpinning mechanisms. This mini-symposium will focus on the recent advances in computational modeling, theoretical analysis, and experimental characterization of interfaces in the hybrid material systems at nano/micro scale. Contributions from researchers in the fields of solid/fluid mechanics, materials science, physics and engineering are cordially invited.

Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

• Multiple spatial/temporal scale material modeling and simulations

• Novel characterization method across multiple spatial/temporal scales

• Polymer composites

• Biocomposites

• Interaction between biological materials and inorganic nanoparticles, such as enzyme for energy conversion, self-assembly of spherical nucleic acids particles

• Bio-inspired material design and biomimetic nanocomposites

• Bone ultrastructure modeling and cell-nanoparticle interaction