Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 18, 2026
Reactive Inkjet Printing and Propulsion Analysis of Silk-based Self-propelled Micro-stirrers
Published on: April 26, 2019
Reactive Inkjet Printing of Biocompatible Enzyme Powered Silk Micro-Rockets
David A Gregory1, Yu Zhang1, Patrick J Smith2
1Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, Mappin Street, S1 3JD, UK.
Abstract:
Inkjet-printed enzyme-powered silk-based micro-rockets are able to undergo autonomous motion in a vast variety of fluidic environments including complex media such as human serum. By means of digital inkjet printing it is possible to alter the catalyst distribution simply and generate varying trajectory behavior of these micro-rockets. Made of silk scaffolds containing enzymes these micro-rockets are highly biocompatible and non-biofouling.
