(152b) 3D Layered Nano- Micro- Fibre Printing Techniques for Biological and Electronic Applications

Building two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) fibrous structures in the micro-nano scale will offer exciting prospects for numerous applications spanning from sensors, to energy storage and tissue engineering scaffolds. Existing fibre spinning techniques have been tailored for producing micro-to-nano scale fibers, but can be restrictive in the design of macroscopic fiber architectures in 3D space, and the choice of fibre materials. To address these technological gaps, we report two new fibre spinning techniques: first, 3D-LEP which combines low voltage electrospinning (LEP) and additive manufacturing to pattern suspended fiber layers in multiple tiers and designable orientations; and secondly, an efficient inflight fluidic fibre deposition (IFD) process to produce core-shell conducting fibres. Using these techniques, we demonstrate biological applications utilising fiber topography to guide the assembly of cellular aggregates in a 3D culture context; and optoelectronic applications showing unconventional transparent, suspended fibre-array electronics and the construction of layered 3D electrical architectures.