Team:UCLA/Notebook/Materials/WetSpinning

iGEM UCLA




Wet Spinning Protocol

  • Prepare a 13-20% w/v aqueous silk dope
  • Using a small gauge (large diameter) needle, draw the silk dope into a 1 mL syringe with Luer lock
  • Remove the needle and attach a 0.0005 inch inner diameter PEEK tubing
  • Place syringe in syringe pump, such that the tip of the PEEK tubing is immersed in the 70% v/v ethanol or isopropanol bath
  • Run syringe pump to extrude dope at rate of 1 - 20 uL/min
  • Allow the formed fiber to coagulate in the alcohol bath for at least 10 minutes
    • If immediately performing a post-spin stretch, keep the take-up spool immersed in the coagulation bath.