Versatile natural soft materials for skin and tissue mimics and protective composites
This programme aims to develop soft, flexible materials that mimic human skin and tissue and are produced entirely from natural products. Targets include prosthetic linings, wound healing, scaffolds, biomedical coatings, and flexible protective composites. The proposed platform invites collaboration for joint validation and co-production.
Overview
This programme aims to develop a family of versatile, soft, flexible materials engineered to closely mimic human skin and tissue while also providing durable protection. By using natural products as the base for all materials, it aims to reduce the toxicity, stiffness, and poor compatibility concerns often linked to synthetic alternatives. The resulting platform could serve a wide range of applications: prosthetic linings, medical interfaces, implant materials, scaffolds, biomedical coatings, wound-healing materials, and flexible protective composites that shelter tissues and joints.
The core value proposition is a versatile material concept that can be configured for different uses while preserving a common set of desirable properties: biocompatibility, mechanical versatility, and the ability to restore and protect the homeostasis of damaged skin.
Technical specifications
The proposed concept combines several classes of soft material technologies into a single platform:
- Silicone or PDMS-based materials for flexibility, durability, and controlled mechanical behaviour.
- Smart nanomaterials that can contribute sensing, delivery, or protective functionalities at the material’s surface.
- Polypeptide-structured nanostructured biomaterials intended for scaffolds, films, and coatings.
- Plant-based nanocomposites that bring renewable sourcing plus mechanical resilience.
- Flexible protective composites designed to protect tissues and joints during motion.
- Skin grafts and wound-healing material concepts that directly support damaged skin.
The unifying design principle is that all materials are produced entirely from natural products from a more sustainable and potentially better-tolerated alternative to conventional synthetic options. Mechanical properties are tuned so the materials behave near or close to real human tissues, which may reduce stress, friction, and irritation in repeated contact applications such as prosthetics.
Technology readiness level
The technology is still at an early research stage. The hypothesis and design concepts have been defined, but the materials have not yet been experimentally produced or validated. The planned next step is to move into joint or co-development with partners, including prototype fabrication and application testing. Commercial or clinical availability is therefore not expected until those future validation activities are performed successfully.
About caykur
Caykur, legally known as Cay Isletmeleri Genel Mudurlugu, is a state-owned economic enterprise in Turkey that operates as a major entity in the nation's tea industry. Headquartered in Rize, it manages a extensive infrastructure that includes numerous tea processing factories, regional marketing directorates, and the Ataturk Tea and Garden Cultures Research Institute. The organization is responsible for developing tea agriculture in line with national policies, purchasing a significant portion of tea produced in the region, and producing, marketing, importing, and exporting various tea products. It operates with a mandate to balance economic efficiency and profitability while supporting Turkey's agricultural sector.
As the leader in the Turkish tea market, Caykur plays a central role for tea producers and consumers across the country. It provides essential support to tea farmers, including the purchasing of raw tea leaves, and maintains a substantial share of the domestic dry tea market. The organization is subject to regulation by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and has been part of the Turkey Wealth Fund since 2017. By overseeing the end-to-end process from agricultural development to industrial processing and commercial distribution, Caykur serves as a cornerstone of the regional economy in Eastern Anatolia and remains a critical provider of tea products within Turkey.
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