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

Area of Science:

• Materials Science and Engineering
• Biotechnology and Biofabrication
• Soft Matter Physics

Background:

• Nature excels at creating complex, structured materials across scales using self-assembly and organized processes.
• Replicating this hierarchical structuring in engineered materials is difficult, often requiring complex fabrication methods.
• Chaotic printing was previously introduced as a flow- and geometry-driven method for fabricating structured filaments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To expand the architectural and functional capabilities of chaotic printing.
• To demonstrate compatibility with diverse deposition techniques and static mixer designs.
• To showcase the potential for creating structured soft matter with biologically and chemically relevant internal organization.

Main Methods:

• Exploration of various static mixer designs within extrusion printheads.
• Demonstration of chaotic printing across three deposition modes: wet-printing, dripping, and direct ink writing.
• Fabrication of hydrogel filaments with internal structuring.

Main Results:

• Successful generation of material constructs with chemically and biologically relevant internal organization.
• Demonstration of zonally arranged mammalian cells for microtissue engineering.
• Creation of spatially patterned bacterial consortia and localized mineral precipitation within hydrogels.

Conclusions:

• Chaotic printing is a versatile and accessible platform for fabricating architected soft materials.
• The internal microarchitecture enabled by chaotic printing facilitates biologically and chemically relevant processes.
• This technology has broad applicability in fields such as cell culture, microbiology, and functional soft materials.