Welcome to BörnerLab

Research Overview

  1. Synthesis and design of functional hybrid polymers (bioconjugates)
  2. Bio-mimetic formation of structure and function in synthetic polymers (peptide-guided organization and structure based functions)
  3. Pseudopeptides and precision polymers for biomedical applications (integrated polymer systems for gene or drug delivery)
  4. Bio-functionalization of surfaces (bioactive polymer fibers, scaffolds and material interfaces; Bio-inspired adhesion segments in block copolymers, (bio)-functional coatings, crystal growth modifiers)

Objectives: Controlling interactions in synthetic polymers as precisely as in proteins would have a strong impact on polymer science. Advanced structural and functional control can lead to rational design of, integrated nano- and microstructures. To achieve this, properties of oligopeptides were exploited. By incorporating these as monodisperse segments into synthetic polymers we show how to program structure formation in polymers, control inorganic-organic interfaces in fiber composites, induce structure in biomacromolecules for biomedical applications and generate bioactive surfaces to control biological systems.
 


News
09.11.2023 - Ligating Catalytically Active Peptides onto Microporous Polymers: A General Route Toward Specifically-Functional High Surface Area Platforms
New Paper released in ChemSusChem.


Background: The bio-orthogonal tetrazine-norbornene ligation via an inverse electron-demand Diels-Alder reaction offers a generic route to the post-synthetic modification of microporous polymers. Equipping the porous scaffolds with norbornene derivatives enables click-like ligation to introduce functional tetrazines, including a peptide-based organocatalyst. This demonstrates the accessibility of the catalytic sites in the porous materials by achieving high activity and selectivity in an enamine catalysis.

Full article link: https://doi.org/10.1002/cssc.202301045
27.10.2023 - Two talk-prizes for our postdoc Dr. Tilmann Neubert
 Congratulations to our postdoc Dr. Tilmann Neubert!

Tilmann was awarded with talk prizes at two conferences, the “2023 SALSA Make & Measure: Interfaces” (1st of 3 prizes, voted by the audience) and the "Sorrento 2013 – Sorrento 2023: A Decade of Peptide Materials” (best contributed oral presentation, awarded by the organizers).


Photos by Daniel Pasche (left) and Hans Börner (right)
01.09.2023 - Statistical Copolymers that Mimic Aspects of Mussel Adhesive Proteins: Access to Robust Adhesive-Domains for Non-Covalent Surface PEGylation
New Paper released in Macromolecular Rapid Communications.

Background: The robust anchoring of mussels to various substrates inspired the synthesis of a set of PEG-block-copolymers. Relevant side-chain functionalities of Dopa, Lys, and Arg residues found in mussel foot proteins are mimicked by functional acrylates to compose π-cation motifs. PEG-b-copolymers are synthesized by controlled radical polymerization. Waterborne coatings, show clear optima in stability and antifouling properties, preventing A549 cell adhesion.

Full article link: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/marc.202300300
07.08.2023 - Peptide-based Organocatalyst on Stage: Functionalizing Mesoporous Silica by Tetrazine-Norbornene Ligation
New Paper released in ChemCatChem


Background: Tetrazine-Norbornene ligation through inverse electron-demand Diels-Alder reaction has been employed as a novel strategy to immobilize a peptide-based catalyst onto different mesoporous silica supports. Functionalized silica monoliths as well as silica particles in packed bed reactors have been applied in the enantioselective flow catalysis of the addition reaction between ß-nitrostyrene and n-butanal.

Full article link: https://doi.org/10.1002/cctc.202300778
26.05.2023 - Tetrazine-norbornene versus azide-norbornene ligation: evaluating the toolbox for polymer–polymer coupling
New Paper released in Polymer Chemistry.


Background: Two segment-segment coupling strategies for accessing block-copolmyers are compared, investigating the ligation chemistries of norbornenes with either asymmetric tetratines or azides.

Full article link: https://doi.org/10.1039/D3PY00320E
17.09.2022 - Antimicrobial finish of polyethersulfone-membranes: Sticking photosensitizers like marine mussels would do
New Paper released in Advanced Engineering Materials.



A chlorin-based photosensitizer, known from photodynamic therapy was derivatized to realize antimicrobial finishes for water-filtration membranes. The introduced catechol moieties known from adhesive systems of marine mussels, improved the coating stability and affect both positioning and packing of the photosensitizers, to retain singlet oxygen production. The irradiation of coated membranes by visible light significantly reduces bacterial growth of both gram-positive and gram-negative strains.

Full article link: https://doi.org/10.1002/adem.202201279
30.05.2022 - Congratulations to Jana Krüger
Today Jana Krüger has defended her outstanding PhD theses „Muschelinspirierte Polymerisation: Über die vollsynthetische Variante der enzymaktivierten Herstellung universeller Haftstoffe“ with “summa cum laude”.

Congratulations and good luck for your future career!
25.01.2022 - Broadening the chemical space of mussel-inspired polymerization to roll out the TCC-polymer platform
New Paper released in Macromolecules.



Abstract: The mussel-inspired polymerization (MIPoly) of bisquinone (AA type) and dithiol (BB type) monomers utilizes room temperature Michael-type polyaddition to form polymers with adhesive thiol–catechol connectivities (TCCs) in their backbone. The combination of five bisquinones and eight dithiols proves the generic character of this robust polymerization and leads to a TCC-polymer library with 40 different polymers. The set of adhesives is investigated in detail, and structure–property relationships are studied, analyzing material properties and adhesive capabilities. Dry adhesive tests are carried out under hot-melt-like conditions, revealing adhesive strengths up to 2.40 MPa for gluing aluminum and 1.26 MPa for polypropylene. A selected set of TCC adhesives is further studied under seawater-model conditions for the wet-gluing and wet-curing of technical aluminum substrates. The library approach offers access to novel adhesives in the field of mussel-inspired glues as shown by seawater-tolerant adhesives that are providing adhesive strengths of up to 1.25 MPa under hostile high-salt conditions.

Full article link: https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.macromol.1c02192
01.12.2021 - BMBF-Projekt
In der BMBF Förderlinie „Zukunftstechnologien für die industrielle Bioökonomie: Schwerpunkt Biohybride Technologien“ wurde das Verbundprojekt unter der Koordination der HU Berlin erfolgreich eingeworben. Zu dem Thema „Biohybride Klebsysteme: Über enzymaktivierte Polymerisation zur Technologieplattform der Adhäsionsausschaltung auf Knopfdruck“ forscht der Verbund aus HU, Henkel, Fraunhofer IAP und INURU an neuen, schaltbaren Klebstoffen die für zukünftige Rezyklierungsstrategien in einer modernen Kreislaufwirtschaft dringlich notwendig sind.

 
11.08.2021 - BMBF-Projekt
Im BMBF Ideenwettbewerb „Biologisierung der Technik“ wurde das Projekt „LigNovolac“ erfolgreich eingeworben. Unter dem Thema „Kleben wie Holz und Muscheln: Nachhaltige Klebstoffe für Korallenriff-Rekonstitution“ forscht ein Team aus dem AK Börner in Zusammenarbeit mit Henkel an neuen Klebstoffen, die zur Setzung von temperaturresistenten Korallen für die Rettung geschädigter Korallenriffe dringlich notwendig sind.

Abb. 1.: Unterwasserkleber können maßgeschneiderte Lösungen aus biologischen Klebesystemen mit Nachhaltigkeit und ökologischer Verträglichkeit verbinden.
 
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