Mosquito Proboscis Repurposed as a Micro Nozzle for High Resolution 3D Printing

Most people think of mosquitoes as pests, not as tools for next-generation micro-fabrication. Yet researchers at McGill University have shown that the proboscis of a deceased female mosquito can serve as a biodegradable micro nozzle for high-resolution 3D printing. With an inner diameter of about 20 micrometers, it produces features that are finer than many commercial metal tips and at a much lower cost.

High precision nozzles are expensive and often single-use, which makes ultra-fine printing both costly and wasteful. The McGill team explored whether natural microfluidic structures could solve this challenge and found that the mosquito proboscis already has the ideal geometry. It is naturally straight, uniformly shaped and between 20 and 25 micrometers wide, making it well-suited for micro-scale extrusion.

Concept and configuration of 3D necroprinting (Photo Credit: Scientific Advances)

Turning a Mosquito into a Micro Nozzle

Despite its delicate look, the proboscis is structurally strong. Tests showed it can withstand internal pressures of around 60 kilopascals, which is enough to push thick bioinks through it without rupturing. The researchers built a direct ink writing setup and attached the proboscis to a standard 30G metal tip, allowing it to connect to a syringe based extruder and move precisely over the print bed.