Scientists from McGill University and Drexel University have made an intriguing breakthrough by using the proboscis of mosquitoes as ultra-fine nozzles for 3D printing. This innovative approach offers a potential solution for creating intricate items that require a fine print nozzle, traditionally made from expensive materials like metal or glass.<\/p>\n
The researchers focused on the proboscis of Aedes aegypti<\/em>, a common type of mosquito, known for its slender and hollow structure that allows it to access blood vessels by navigating between skin cells. To repurpose this natural tool, the scientists obtained euthanized female mosquitoes, sterilized them, and extracted the rigid portion of the proboscis. They then applied a UV-curable resin to it, curing the resin with UV light to create a sturdy print nozzle that could be used in direct ink writing (DIW) 3D printing.<\/p>\n This setup allowed for printing layers as thin as 20 microns, significantly finer than current commercial 3D printers can achieve. The tiny structures created with this technique include complex designs such as honeycombs, maple leaves, and bioscaffolds, which have applications in tissue engineering and cell growth.<\/p>\n Moreover, one of the advantages of using mosquito proboscises is their biodegradability and the ability to reuse them multiple times before replacement. This process has been termed "3D necroprinting," a name that highlights the reuse of biological materials in advanced manufacturing.<\/p>\n