Scalable Fabrication of Chemically Stabilized Gelatin Hydrogel Fibers by Thermal Drawing

ABSTRACT Gelatin represents a promising hydrogel fiber matrix for drug delivery, tissue engineering, and neural interfaces due to its inherent biocompatibility, biodegradability, and mechanical adaptability. Yet, existing soft‐material fabrication methods typically constrain fiber length, aspect ratio, throughput, and structural complexity, thereby restricting the capabilities of these fibers. Here, we introduce a multimaterial thermal drawing platform capable of continuously producing gelatin hydrogel fibers with lengths reaching tens of meters. Instead of relying on conventional synthetic crosslinkers, we leverage the Maillard reaction—adapted from food engineering—to induce in situ crosslinking under the heat generated during drawing. Guided by comprehensive rheological analyses, a moderate incubation step ensures a stable viscous flow regime essential for uninterrupted fiber production. This approach enables control over swelling and mechanical properties of hydrogel formulations, which exhibit elastic moduli in the tens to hundreds of kilopascals range and ultimate strains exceeding 100%. The hydrogel fibers can incorporate and gradually release therapeutic agents and generate low‐molecular‐weight species following collagenase exposure in vitro. By relying exclusively on naturally derived or naturally occurring constituents, the method circumvents the biocompatibility concerns associated with synthetic crosslinkers. The scalability and versatility of this fabrication platform open new design opportunities for hydrogel fibers tailored to diverse biomedical applications.