Longevity

The research focus "longevity" encompasses the long-term structural integrity and functionality of living organisms and technical systems. Plants are especially suitable biological models for technical applications because they have evolved various functional principles to control failure. Damage prevention includes the formation of gradient transitions and the ability to react structurally and mechanically to environmental stresses and thus to withstand higher loads. Damage management ranges from self-sealing and subsequent self-healing to the creation of fracture sites ensuring a controlled disintegration of materials systems. Moreover, failure tolerance of an entire system can be increased by the formation of redundant structures.

Coordinators Research Area C
Prof. Dr. Chris Eberl, Prof. Dr. Jürgen Rühe

Projects within Research Area C

Longterm Projects 2022 and 2023

• AI²nterface – Advanced interfaces for modular livMats through AI assisted design and experimental realization of programmable materials interfaces
  This project is a cooperation between research areas B and C.
• MetaGen4Morphing– Implementation of a programmable meta materials toolbox for complex shape morphing in adaptive and long living materials systems by simulation, experiments and machine learning
• Generation of Materials with Adaptive Mechanical Properties – Stimulus-Induced Lignification and Softening
• A4S - Autonomous Actuators for Adaptive Architecture and Soft Robotics
• Resilient hierarchical microfluidic networks for fuel transport and information processing
• Encapsulated Chemistries in Rationally Designed Metamaterials for Advanced Multi-Functionalities on Demand
  This project is a cooperation between research areas B and C.
• The mistletoe-host interface as model for long-term integrity by damage prevention and repair
• SNAPVALVE - Soft snap-through electromechanical valves for autonomous soft machines
  This project is a collaboration between research areas C and Demonstrators.
• METAINFLATE – Inflatable Metamaterials for Morphological Control
  This project is a collaboration between research areas C and Demonstrators.
• Making materials long-lasting: shedding of damaged layers in a locally controlled way
  This project is carried out within the the Cluster’s Agnes Pockels Doctoral Fellowship Program.
• Synthesis of small molecules bearing two C,H-inserting moieties able to functionalize and crosslink polymers
• Bridge-Project EXC livMatS / EXC IntCDC – architectural integration of self-shaping mechanisms

Longterm Projects 2019 and 2020

• Abscission and self-repair in biological and artificial materials systems
• Training and self-healing by interface snapping mechanisms
• Self‐sealing by orchestrating chemical and mechanical mechanisms and processes as basis for self‐healing in livMatS
• Embedded (micro)‐fluidic networks in soft materials systems: A route to adaptive processes, selfregulation and self‐repair
• Hierarchically Programmable Materials with Propagating Stimulus Responsive Elements and Metamaterial Ultrastructuring
  This project is a cooperation between research areas B and C.
• Training Materials like Muscles
  This project is a cooperation between research areas B and C.
• Mechanical metamaterials that can adapt and learn
  This project is a cooperation between research areas B and C.
• Electret-based fluttering for wind energy harvesting with internal structure
  This project is a collaboration between research areas A and C. It is carried out within the Cluster’s Hermann Staudinger Doctoral Fellowship Program.
• Novel Materials for maskless lithography and 3D printing
  This project is carried out within the Cluster’s Hermann Staudinger Doctoral Fellowship Program.
• Development of an artificial Venus flytrap
  This project is a collaboration between research areas A, B, C and Demonstrators.

Booster Projects 2023 - finished

• Plant-inspired humidity-driven bending actuator
  This project is a cooperation between research areas B, C and Demonstrators.
  Responsible Investigator: Prof. Dr. Claas Müller
  Principal Investigators: Dr. Olga Speck and Prof. Dr. Thomas Speck
• 3D Printing of shape-morphing surfaces for mechanical metamaterial surfaces
  This project is a cooperation between research areas B, C and Demonstrators.
  Principal Investigator: Prof. Dr. Bastian E. Rapp
  Junior Research Group leader: Dr. Viacheslav Slesarenko
• Maskless microstructuring of livMatS surfaces
  This project is a cooperation between research areas B, C and Demonstrators.
  Principal Investigators: Prof. Dr. Jürgen Rühe and Prof. Dr. Bastian E. Rapp
• Intra- and extracellular self-assembly of filamentous protein polymers
  This project is a cooperation between research areas B, C and D.
  Principal Investigator: Prof. Dr. Ralf Reski
• Programmable Hydrogel Hopper: Mechanical Confinement Harnessing Slow Deformation
  This project is a cooperation between research areas B and C.
  Principal Investigators: Prof. Dr. Chris Eberl and Prof. Dr. Bastian E. Rapp
• Modelling Abscission of Plant Organs as Inspiration for the Separation of Artificial Materials Systems
  This project is a cooperation between research areas C and D.
  Principal investigator: Dr. Olga Speck
  Responsible Investigator: Prof. Dr. Patrick Dondl
• Thin-walled structures for soft machines via a new soap-bubbleinspired manufacturing technique
  This project is a cooperation between research areas B, C and Demonstrators.
  Principal Investigator: Prof. Dr. Chris Eberl

Booster Projects 2021 - finished

• “Trained plants”: Responses of plant leaves of Pilea peperomioides to various mechanical stimuli
  Principal investigator: Dr. Olga Speck
• A Soft Biomimetic Actuator Inspired by the Self-Sealing Motion of Succulent Plants
  This project is a cooperation between research area C and Demonstrators.
  Principal investigators: Prof. Dr. Thomas Speck and Dr. Olga Speck
  Responsible Investigator: Prof. Dr. Claas Müller
• Reliability of mechanical metamaterials
  Principal investigators: Prof. Dr. Lars Pastewka, Dr. Viacheslav Slesarenko, and Prof. Dr. Chris Eberl
• Heterogeneity as an ally against defects
  Principal investigator: Dr. Viacheslav Slesarenko
• (Self-)adaptive energy-autonomous materials systems for building hulls inspired by hygroscopically actuated plant structures
  This project is a cooperation between research areas B and C.
  Principal Investigators: Prof. Dr. Thomas Speck and Prof. Dr. Jürgen Rühe
• Novel Materials Systems for Applications in Biomimetic Architecture and Building Construction
  This project is a cooperation among research areas B, C and Demonstrators.
  Principal Investigators: Prof. Dr. Thomas Speck and Prof. Dr. Jürgen Rühe

Compact Projects 2021 - finished

• Fatigue in energy-harvesting mechanical metamaterials
  This project is a cooperation among research areas A and C.
  Junior Research Group leader: Dr. Viacheslav Slesarenko

Compact Projects 2020 - finished

• Twist-to-bend ratios of petioles and transition zones with different shapes and tapering modes
  Principal investigator: Dr. Olga Speck