title: Development of a direct three-dimensional biomicrofabrication concept based on electrospraying a custom made siloxane sol.
abstract: We demonstrate here the discovery of a unique and direct three-dimensional biomicrofabrication concept possessing the ability to revolutionize the jet-based fabrication arena. Previous work carried out on similar jet-based approaches have been successful in fabricating only vertical wallpillar-structures by the controlled deposition of stacked droplets. However, these advanced jet-techniques have not been able to directly fabricate self-supporting archeslinks (without molds or reaction methods) between adjacent structures (walls or pillars). Our work reported here gives birth to a unique type of jet determined by high intensity electric fields, which is derived from a specially formulated siloxane sol. The sol studied here has been chosen for its attractive properties (such as an excellent cross-linking nature as well as the ability to polymerize via polycondensation on deposition to its biocompatability), which promotes direct forming of biostructures with nanometer (<50 nm) sized droplets in three dimensions. We foresee that this direct three-dimensional biomicrofabrication jet technique coupled with a variety of formulated sols having focused and enhanced functionality will be explored throughout the physical and life sciences.
authors.affiliation: School of Biological & Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary, University of London, Walter Besant Building, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Alice C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Sullivan
authors.forename: Suwan N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Jayasinghe
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