Multiscale Clay Structures for Biomaterials Design and Biomedical Applications

Clay minerals possess intrinsic hierarchical structures extending from atomic-scale layered sheets to tactoid assemblies, and interconnected porous aggregates. Combined with tunable surface chemistry, hydration-responsive behavior, and mechanical anisotropy, these characteristics make clay minerals promising building blocks for the design of functional biomaterials. Increasingly, clay-based materials are being integrated into tissue engineering scaffolds, biomimetic composites, regenerative constructs, and engineered porous matrices, where their structural and physicochemical properties can actively influence biological responses.Within biological environments, the performance of clay-based biomaterials is governed by processes operating across multiple spatial scales. At the nanoscale, interlayer interactions, surface charge distribution, and hydration dynamics regulate biomolecule adsorption, ion-mediated binding, and interfacial interactions between the material and biological systems. At intermediate scales, tactoid organization and evolving pore networks affect mechanical stability, mass transport, and stress distribution within biomaterial constructs. At larger scales, these structural features can influence cellular adhesion, mechanotransduction, mineralization, immune responses, and the organization of newly formed tissues. Understanding how these multiscale structural characteristics translate into biological function remains essential for the rational design of clay-enabled biomaterials.Recent advances in molecular simulations, multiscale modeling, nano-mechanical characterization, and in situ imaging techniques have significantly improved our ability to investigate clay–biological interfaces and the behavior of clay-based biomaterials. However, challenges remain in bridging nanoscale phenomena with macroscopic biological performance, integrating computational and experimental approaches, and establishing predictive structure–property–function relationships that guide biomaterials design.This Research Topic aims to advance the development of clay-based biomaterials through a multiscale perspective that integrates materials science, biointerface engineering, and biological evaluation. We welcome contributions that investigate the design, fabrication, functionalization, and characterization of clay-containing biomaterials, particularly studies that demonstrate how hierarchical material structure influences biological interactions and biomedical performance in vitro, ex vivo, or in vivo. By connecting fundamental understanding with practical biomedical applications, this collection seeks to strengthen the scientific foundation and translational potential of clay-based biomaterials.We welcome submissions addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:• Design and fabrication of clay-based biomaterials and hierarchical architectures• Surface functionalization and characterization of clay–biological interfaces• Structure–property–function relationships of clay biomaterials in biological systems• Biocompatibility, immunological responses, and bioactivity of clay-containing materials• Clay-based scaffolds and porous biomaterials for tissue engineering and regeneration• Biomimetic and bioinspired biomaterial systems incorporating clay structures• Multiscale mechanical characterization and mechanobiological interactions• Integration of computational modeling and experimental approaches in biomaterials research• Advanced methods for characterization of biomaterials and heterogeneous interfaces Topic editors: Kalpana S Katti, Kaiwen Tong, Yucheng Li, Seunghun S. Lee Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/79997/multiscale-clay-structures-for-biomaterials-design-and-biomedical-applications