Researchers from theUniversity of Birminghamhave developed a new 3D printing method for soft materials which could enable the manufacture of artificial medical implants.
Known as Suspended Layer Additive Manufacturing (SLAM), this technique uses a polymer-based hydrogel containing particles for a self-healing gel. Liquids or gels can be injected into this medium to build 3D forms.
“我们设计的水凝胶具有一些非常有趣的特性，使我们能够以非常细节的细节打印软材料，”该研究负责人利亚姆·格罗弗（Liam Grover）教授解释说Advanced Functional Materials.
“它具有替换生物材料（例如心脏瓣膜或血管）或产生可用于治疗骨骼和软骨损伤的生物相容性塞子等替代生物材料的巨大潜力。”
SLAM 3D bioprinting
The team developed SLAM as an alternative to悬浮水凝胶的自由式可逆嵌入(FRESH), which uses gels to form a slurry bath into which the printed material is injected. According to the University of Birmingham scientists, this method can result in frictions within the gel medium which can distort the printing process.
SLAM使用低粘度生物聚合物将其用于自我修复的流体凝胶基质。在溶胶 - 凝胶过渡过程中引入剪切应力时，形成了这种液体凝胶，以产生纠缠的凝胶微粒网络。这与新鲜的空闲“散装”凝胶不同，在没有剪切的情况下形成聚合物网络。
通过此过程，研究人员旨在证明如何剪切或扭曲凝胶中的颗粒“使它们分开，但仍然保持它们之间的联系”，如研究中所述。这种相互作用会产生自我修复效果，从而使凝胶可以精确的细节支持印刷材料，而不会泄漏或下垂。
软材料和添加剂制造
3D打印软材料对于科学家来说，被视为一个巨大的挑战，因为他们需要支持以避免下垂。通过SLAM测试，团队发现琼脂糖支撑浴允许进一步的交联方法，其中包括胶原蛋白配方。
The researchers highlight this as an advantage in regenerative medicine. “The method enabled the successful fabrication of bulk, intricate, dual-phase, and phase‐encapsulated hydrogels from a variety of biopolymer materials that are currently widely investigated in regenerative medicine.”
“总体而言，SLAM是一种有前途的技术，用于生产精致的软组织，复杂的软组织结构和相互交织的组织。”
“Fabrication of Complex Hydrogel Structures Using Suspended Layer Additive Manufacturing (SLAM)”is co-authored by Jessica J. Senior, Megan E. Cooke, Liam M. Grover, and Alan M. Smith.
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Featured image shows a 3D print scaffold created using the SLAM method. Photo via the University of Birmingham.
