Mosquitoes鈥� feeding tubes make ultrafine 3D-printing nozzles
Researchers in 9I制作厂免费鈥檚听Department of Mechanical Engineering听补苍诲听补迟听听have听developed an innovative听manufacturing technique that听makes听female mosquito proboscides, or feeding tubes,听into听high-resolution 3D-printing nozzles.听With its unique geometry, structure and mechanics, the proboscis enables printed line widths as fine as 20听microns,听or a little smaller than a white blood cell.听This is听roughly听twice听as fine as听what听commercially听available听printing nozzles听can听currently听produce.听
The researchers听named听the process听鈥�3D听necroprinting,鈥澨齱here a non-living biological microstructure is directly used as听an听advanced听manufacturing tool.听Potential applications听include producing听tiny scaffolds for cell growth or tissue engineering,听printing cell-laden gels, as well as the delicate transfer of microscopic objects like semiconductor chips.听听
鈥淗igh-resolution 3D printing and听microdispensing听rely on ultrafine nozzles, typically made from specialized metal or glass,鈥澨齭aid听study co-author听Jianyu Li,听Associate Professor and Canada Research Chair鈥� in Tissue Repair and Regeneration听at 9I制作厂免费.听鈥淭hese nozzles are expensive, difficult to manufacture听补苍诲听generate environmental waste and health concerns.鈥澨�
鈥淢osquito proboscides let us print extremely small, precise structures that are difficult or听very expensive听to produce with conventional tools.听Since biological nozzles are biodegradable, we can听repurpose materials that would otherwise be discarded,鈥� added听Changhong Cao听of 9I制作厂免费, Assistant Professor听and Canada Research Chair in Small-Scale Materials and Manufacturing听and study co-author.听
The study was led by 9I制作厂免费 graduate student听听He was involved in a听听using听a听mosquito proboscis for biomimetic听purposes听that听established听a foundation听for this research.听
Biodegradable and reusable听
To develop听the nozzles,听the researchers examined insect-derived micronozzles and听identified听the mosquito proboscis 鈥� a tiny, naturally evolved microneedle about half of the width of a human hair 鈥� as the听optimal听candidate. The听proboscides听were harvested听from听euthanized听mosquitoes,听sourced from ethically approved laboratory colonies听used听for biological research at听partner institution Drexel University.听
Under a microscope,听the researchers听carefully removed听the mosquito鈥檚 feeding tube.听They听then attached听this biological needle to a standard plastic dispenser tip using a small amount of resin.听The researchers characterized the tips鈥� geometry and mechanical strength, measured their pressure听tolerance听and integrated them into a custom 3D-printing setup.听听
Once connected, the proboscis becomes the final opening through which the 3D printer听emits听material.听The听researchers have successfully printed high-resolution complex structures,听including听a honeycomb, a maple leaf and听bioscaffolds听that encapsulate听cancer cells and red blood cells.听
The idea of using biotic materials in advanced manufacturing was inspired by听necrobotics听research at Rice University. While searching for micronozzles, Cao was also in听discussions听with听Drexel University听researchers听听补苍诲听听on a separate mosquito-related project. These conversations led the team to explore听proboscides听for 3D printing.听
"Evolutions in bioprinting are helping medical researchers develop unique approaches to treatment. As we look to improve technology, we must also strive to innovate," said Creighton, study co-author and Assistant Professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering at Drexel.听
鈥淲e found the mosquito proboscis can withstand repeated printing cycles听as long as听the pressures stay within safe limits. With proper handling and cleaning, a nozzle can be reused many times,鈥� Cao said.听
鈥淏y introducing biotic materials as viable substitutes to complex engineered components, this work paves the way for sustainable and innovative solutions in advanced manufacturing and microengineering,鈥� Li听added.听
About the study听
听鈥�,鈥� by听Justin Puma,听Megan Creighton,听Ali Afify,听Jianyu Li,听Changhong听Cao听et al, was published in听Science Advances.听
Funding was received from听the New Frontiers in Research Fund Exploration program, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada听(NSERC)听Discovery program, Fonds de recherche du听Qu茅bec听Nature and听Technologies.听(FRQNT)听New Academics program,听the听Canada Foundation for Innovation John Evans Leaders Fund,听the Canada Research Chair听Program听补苍诲听an听NSERC-FRQNT Nova grant.听
