Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-dh8gc Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-02T20:28:08.187Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

The Effect of Hydrophobic Patterning on Micromolding of Aqueous-Derived Silk Structures

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 February 2011

Konstantinos Tsioris
Affiliation:
[email protected], Tufts University, Mechanical Engineering, 200 Boston Ave, Suite 2700, Medford, MA, 02155, United States, 6179107825
Robert D White
Affiliation:
[email protected], Tufts University, Mechanical Engineering, Medford, MA, 02155, United States
David L Kaplan
Affiliation:
[email protected], Tufts University, Biomedical Engineering, Medford, MA, 02155, United States
Peter Y Wong
Affiliation:
[email protected], Tufts University, Mechanical Engineering, Medford, MA, 02155, United States
Get access

Abstract

A novel micromolding approach was developed to process liquid biopolymers with high aqueous solvent contents (>90% water). Specifically silk fibroin was cast into a well-defined scaffold-like structure for potential tissue engineering applications. A method was developed to pattern the hydrophilicity and hydrophobicity of the polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) mold surfaces. The water based biopolymer solution could then be directly applied to the desired regions on the cast surface. The variations in degree of hydrophilicity and hydrophobicity on the PDMS surfaces were quantified through contact angle measurements and compared to the outcome of the molded silk structures. Through this method free-standing structures (vs. relief surface-patterning) could be fabricated.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2008

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1 Meinel, L. et al. , Engineering cartilage-like tissue using human mesenchymal stem cells and silk protein scaffolds. Biotechnol Bioeng, 2004. 88(3): p. 379–91.Google Scholar
2 Bettinger, C.J., Cyr, K. M., Matsumoto, A., Langer, R., Borenstein, J. T., Kaplan, D. L., Silk Fibroin Microfluidic Devices. Biomaterials, 2007 (in press).Google Scholar
3 Kim, E., Xia, Y.N., and Whitesides, G.M., Micromolding in capillaries: Applications in materials science. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 1996. 118(24): p. 57225731.Google Scholar
4 Xia, Y.N. and Whitesides, G.M., Soft lithography. Annual Review of Materials Science, 1998. 28: p. 153184.Google Scholar
5 Rangel, E.C., Gadioli, G.Z., and Cruz, N.C., Investigations on the stability of plasma modified silicone surfaces. Plasmas and Polymers, 2004. 9(1): p. 3548.Google Scholar
6 Stalder, A. et al. , A snake-based approach to accurate determination of both contact points and contact angles. Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects, 2006. 286(1): p. 92103.Google Scholar
7 Sofia, S. et al. , Functionalized silk-based biomaterials for bone formation. J Biomed Mater Res, 2001. 54(1): p. 139–48.Google Scholar
8 Lawton, R. et al. , Air plasma treatment of submicron thick PDMS polymer films: effect of oxidation time and storage conditions. Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects, 2005. 253(1): p. 213215.Google Scholar
9 Guo, Y.H. et al. , Analysis of the demolding forces during hot embossing. Microsystem Technologies-Micro-and Nanosystems-Information Storage and Processing Systems, 2007. 13(5-6): p. 411415.Google Scholar
10 Heckele, M. and Schomburg, W.K., Review on micro molding of thermoplastic polymers. Journal of Micromechanics and Microengineering, 2004. 14(3): p. R1–R14.Google Scholar