The Effect of Hydrophobic Patterning on Micromolding of Aqueous-Derived Silk Structures

A novel micromolding approach was developed to process liquid biopolymers with high aqueous solvent contents (>90% water). Specifically silk fibroin was cast into a well-defined scaffold-like structures for potential tissue engineering applications. A method was developed to pattern the hydrophilicity and hydrophobicity of the polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) mold surfaces. The water based biopolymer solution could then be directly applied to the desired regions on the cast surface. The variations in degree of hydrophilicity and hydrophobicity on the PDMS surfaces were quantified through contact angle measurements and compared to the outcome of the molded silk structures. Through this method free-standing structures (vs. relief surfacepatterning) could be fabricated.