Biological systems found in nature have inspired the study and design of engineering systems and modern technology. For instance, some species of geckos have the unique ability to quickly adhere to smooth vertical surfaces without the use of liquids or surface tension. The biomimetic gecko adhesive mechanism has influenced engineers to design and build adhesive platforms aimed at achieving robust and efficiently scaled adhesion for climbing on inverted surfaces with extreme topographical features. Similarly, sandcastle worms use a unique complex coacervate to glue together sand granules on the ocean floor whereas marine mussel adhesion is less specific and certainly more opportunistic than typical ligand-receptor interactions in protein adhesion. Adhesion in such marine organism is noteworthy due to its ability to overcome moisture and its ability to realize strong and reliable adhesion under water that most fabricated adhesives are lacking. Nature has developed surprisingly varied and, at times, rather ingenious lubrication strategies for controlling and regulating the interaction forces, friction, and wear at sheared interfaces, for example, the superlubricity and wear protection properties conferred by the complex synergy between the various proteins, polysaccharides, and lipids in the synovial fluid between articular joints in animals is rather startling.

The purpose of this special issue is to publish high-quality research papers as well as review articles addressing recent advances on biomimetic technologies that will contribute to the development of a tunable system for applications in protective coatings, self-assembly systems, lubrication, friction, wear protection, and drug delivery. Particular emphasis will be placed on the novel concepts and strategies to engineer smart materials. The article should provide fundamental insights into the molecular architecture-function relationship for synthetic bioinspired materials, as well as begin to develop design principles for bioinspired wet adhesives, lubricants, damage-resistant materials, and coacervates.

Original contributions that are not yet published or that are not currently under review by other journals or peer-reviewed conferences are sought.

Potential topics include but are not limited to the following:

• Smart materials (e.g., adaptive, stimuli-responsive, and self-healing) and drug delivery vehicles
• Biological interfaces: biocolloids and biomolecular and biomimetic materials
• Gecko mimetic adhesion and friction and hierarchical organization
• Marine mussel inspired adhesion and coacervates inspired by biology
• Biological self-assembly
• Biomechanics including movement, locomotion, and fluidics
• Modeling of structure-property relations
• Simulation of bioinspired materials at all length scales
• Chemical and synthetic biology, structural biology, and biophysics
• Concepts and strategies to fabricate bioinspired materials
• Application and performance of bioinspired devices (e.g., biomaterials, optical materials, sensors, actuators, materials for energy harvesting, conversion, and storage)
• Mechanics of biomaterials