DWI – Leibniz Institute
DWI – Leibniz-Institut für Interaktive Materialien
Research at DWI – Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials focuses on the development of materials with active and adaptive properties. The capability for active adaptation and interactivity is one of the most profound challenges of today’s material research and will ultimately lead to the evolution of intelligent materials. At DWI scientists with backgrounds in polymer sciences, biotechnology and chemical engineering collaborate closely on mastering this challenge. Research at DWI is organized in five research programs, each of them with a focus on key questions concerning development of active and interactive material properties.
- Aqua Materials – Materials formed from or for aqueous systems, chemistry in water
- Synthiofluidics – New chemical syntheses and processes for producing building blocks for interactive materials
- Macromolecular Films and Fibers - Functional Surfaces and Interfaces
- Transport, Reaction and Exchange Systems – Material systems for controlled transport, reaction, and exchange
- Bioactive and Bioinstructive Materials – Materials designed for active interaction and integration with the biological environment
Within DWI, the Schwaneberg Group engineers proteins, enzymes and peptides to develop biohybrid materials with tailor-made properties and functionalities. The key technology platform comprises a collection of >50 peptides which bind in water at ambient temperature on a variety of surfaces. Anchor peptides enable the attachment of functional building blocks, e.g. enzymes, microgels or particles to synthetic and natural polymers at ambient temperature in water. Wherein, protein engineering allows to tune interactions and to generate responsive hybrid materials based on functional building blocks. Current application areas of functional biohybrid materials comprise the functionalization of textiles - antimicrobial properties and dying - as well as the immobilization of microgels and antifungal proteins on plant leaves for efficient nutrient and pesticide supply. The division Biohybrid Systems is located in the DWI-Biotechnikum, which engineers and produces as core facility proteins for biohybrid materials in fermentations up to 100 L scale.
Further information at DWI – Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials Link