Print head design and control for electrohydrodynamic printing of silk fibroin

• Electrohydrodynamic printing of silk fibroin (SF) was investigated.
• Five different print heads were tested.
• Four silk concentrations were tested varying applied voltage and flow rate.
• Line width of SF printed varied between 1.05 and 1.87 μm, depending on the print head.

This study investigates the effect of print head design on the electrohydrodynamic printed resolution of silk fibroin. Needles with large orifices measuring at 800 μm were used to build five different print heads. The print heads were manufactured, tested, and optimized using four different silk fibroin solution concentrations of 10 wt.%, 15 wt.%, 20 wt.%, and 22 wt.% at applied voltages that ranged from 10 to 20 kV with two different flow rates of 1.5 μl/min and 2.0 μl/min. Each print head design behaved in a unique manner in terms of printed line characteristics as the flow rate, voltage and concentration were varied. The highest printed resolution of the order of 1 μm was achieved using the pinhole reservoir print head. Possible explanations for each of the observed behaviors and design criteria for future print heads are discussed.

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