Silk Fibroin Methacryloyl (SilkMA) Hydrogel

Why use SilkMA?

Silk fibroin is known for its mechanical strength and biocompatibility. By modifying it into SilkMA, it becomes water-soluble and easy to process, while still maintaining its structural integrity after curing.

SilkMA is often chosen when:

• Stronger, more durable hydrogels are needed
• Structural stability is important
• Long-term culture or handling is required

It’s commonly used for:

• 3D cell culture
• Tissue engineering scaffolds
• 3D bioprinting
• Biomaterial and regenerative research

Key features

SilkMA offers a balance between strength and processability:

• Fast gelation under light (typically within seconds)
• Higher mechanical strength compared to many soft hydrogels
• Good printability for extrusion and light-based systems
• Stable structure after crosslinking
• Compatible with other hydrogels such as GelMA and HAMA

Performance

SilkMA is designed for applications where both strength and control are important.

Based on our internal characterisation :

• Rapid photocuring under visible light
• Tunable stiffness depending on concentration
• Maintains structural integrity after printing or casting
• Supports cell encapsulation and 3D culture environments

Detailed characterisation data is available on request.

Custom options

We can modify SilkMA depending on your application, including:

• Peptide-functionalised hydrogels
• Composite hydrogel systems (e.g. SilkMA + GelMA)
• Tailored mechanical or biological properties