# Influence of PLDLA on the Rheological Properties of Regenerated Silk Fibroin-Based Gels

## TL;DR

This paper studies how adding PLDLA affects the flow and structure of gels made from silk fibroin, aiming to improve their use in 3D printed biomedical applications.

## Contribution

The novel contribution is the investigation of PLDLA's influence on the rheological behavior of regenerated silk fibroin gels for 3D printing applications.

## Key findings

- PLDLA addition modifies the rheological properties of RSF gels.
- RSF-PLDLA solutions showed varied behavior under steady-state and oscillatory tests.
- The study provides insights into optimizing gels for 3D printing in tissue engineering.

## Abstract

Regenerated silk
fibroin (RSF), obtained from the silk fibers of
the species Bombyx mori, is a promising
biomaterial due to its excellent mechanical and biological properties,
as well as presenting versatility for applications in tissue engineering.
This is particularly evident through the development of scaffolds
via the 3D printing process. The viscosity of RSF solutions can be
controlled by adding other synthetic polymers, thereby ensuring improved
mechanical and rheological properties and enhanced quality of printed
structures. The objective of this study is to investigate the rheological
properties of gels based on RSF and PLDLA (poly­(l-co-d,l-lactic acid)). The study involved
the synthesis of PLDLA and the extraction of RSF from the silk threads
of B. mori. Subsequently, RSF-PLDLA
solutions in formic acid were prepared with varying concentrations,
and subsequently subjected to rheological tests under steady-state
and oscillatory regimes.