Additively manufactured leather-like silk protein materials. (May 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Mogas-Soldevila, L.; Matzeu, G.; Presti, M. Lo; Omenetto, F.G.
• Is Part Of: Materials & design. Volume 203(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-05
• Subjects: Silk fibroin -- Alternative leather -- Additive manufacturing -- Biomaterials; Materials -- Periodicals; Engineering design -- Periodicals; Matériaux -- Périodiques; Conception technique -- Périodiques; Electronic journals; 620.11
• DOI: 10.1016/j.matdes.2021.109631
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0264-1275

Abstract

Abstract: Biomaterial composites based on reformulated silk protein offer new routes for tough and strong, environmentally friendly leather-like materials. We present here silk-based biomaterial formulations that are scalable, amenable to digital manufacturing, thus enabling a wide variety of formats, and offering new pathways to sustainable production. Performance is tuned by controlling silk protein conformations at the molecular scale, by introducing other biomaterials and natural additives, and by computerized fabrication providing programmable layering and non-regular geometrical patterning. The resulting materials display strong, soft, pliable, durable, and biodegradable features. Further, these leather-like blends can be augmented by embedding and stabilizing active molecules for sensing of the environment surrounding them. Graphical abstract: Unlabelled Image Highlights: Formulation and functionalization of additively-manufacturable silk-based biomaterials. Computerized production of large-scale leather-like surfaces based on biomaterial blends. Multi-property design through combined control of nano-scale and macro-scale features.