From Flow to Function: Using Different Static Mixers to Fabricate Microarchitected Materials Via Chaotic Printing

Nature builds functional materials through simple yet powerful processes that generate structured architecture across scales-from the lamellar patterns in seashells to the zonal organization of living tissues. Emulating such complexity in engineered systems remains challenging and often requires microfabricated components, external fields, or specialized hardware. Previously, we introduced chaotic printing as a deterministic and flow- and geometry-driven strategy for fabricating structured filaments, using static mixers embedded within extrusion printheads-primarily in the context of biofabrication. We broaden the architectural and functional scope of chaotic printing by exploring diverse static mixer designs and demonstrating its compatibility with three distinct deposition modes: wet-printing, dripping, and direct ink writing. These modalities enable the generation of material constructs with chemically and biologically relevant internal organization. We showcase examples ranging from zonally arranged mammalian cells that prefigure microtissue compartments to spatially patterned bacterial consortia composed of strict and facultative anaerobes and localized mineral precipitation within hydrogel filaments. These proof-of-concept-demonstrations underscore the potential of chaotic printing for fabricating structured soft matter where internal microarchitecture enables biologically and chemically relevant processes. This study positions chaotic printing as a modular, scalable, accessible platform for generating architected materials across fields ranging from cell culture and microbiology to functional soft materials.