Solid-state NMR spectroscopy for unraveling structure and dynamics in biomaterials

Abstract

Biomaterials have emerged as essential components in tissue engineering, drug delivery, and regenerative medicine. Bio-composites, cell walls, plant tissues, hybrid materials, and inorganic systems including calcium phosphate and calcium silicate mimic bone's hierarchical architecture and bioactivity. Hydrogels and engineered scaffolds further enhance biomimetic designs by replicating extracellular matrix (ECM) functions. In this regard, solid-state Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (ssNMR) spectroscopy provides details of biomaterials at atomic scale in their intact form, without extraction, purification or perturbing its surrounding components and interfaces. This non-destructive method has been instrumental in obtaining key structural and functional insights in bones, hydrogels, inorganic biomaterials and polysaccharide and oligosaccharide-based biomaterials. This review emphasizes the critical applications of ssNMR in advancing biomaterials, providing key insights into structure-function relationships that are essential for developing innovative therapeutic and biomedical solutions. Specifically, herein demonstrated how ssNMR provides atomic-level insights into molecular organization, dynamics, and interfaces in biomaterials, driving the development of next-generation bio-composites and functional scaffolds. In addition, perspectives of how ssNMR will expand in cell wall research, integrating with imaging and modeling to reveal molecular architecture, advancing biomaterials design, drug delivery, and disease understanding through improved resolution and labeling strategies are discussed.