Oct 23, 2018
CU Boulder engineers have developed a 3D printing technique that can recreate the complex geometry of blood vessels, and could one day be used to produce artificial arteries and organ tissue.
CU Boulder's 3D printing method allows for localized control of an object’s firmness. It features fine-grain, programmable control over rigidity, allowing researchers to mimic the complex geometry of blood vessels that are highly structured and yet must remain pliable.
“The idea was to add independent mechanical properties to 3D structures that can mimic the body’s natural tissue,” said Xiaobo Yin, an associate professor in CU Boulder’s Department of Mechanical Engineering and the senior author of the study.
“This technology allows us to create microstructures that can be customized for disease models,” said Yin. The findings could one day lead to better, more personalized treatments for those suffering from hypertension and other vascular diseases.
Hardened blood vessels are associated with cardiovascular disease, but engineering a solution for viable artery and tissue replacement has historically proven challenging. To overcome these hurdles, CU Boulder researchers found a unique way to take advantage of oxygen’s role in setting the final form of a 3D-printed structure.
“Oxygen is usually a bad thing in that it causes incomplete curing,” said Yonghui Ding, a postdoctoral researcher in Mechanical Engineering and the lead author of the study. “Here, we utilize a layer that allows a fixed rate of oxygen permeation.”
By keeping tight control over oxygen migration and its subsequent light exposure, the researchers have the freedom to control which areas of an object are solidified to be harder or softer—all while keeping the overall geometry the same.
Orthogonal programming of matrix stiffness and geometry via oxygen inhibition-assisted stereolithography. a Schematic set-up of digital projection stereolithographic 3D printing system where hydrogel precursor solution is cured layer-by-layer through UV exposure. Inset is a SEM image of a 3D-printed complex object. Scale bar is 500 μm. b Schematic of oxygen inhibition-assisted printing, in which the curing zone is physically limited between the cured region and the oxygen inhibition layer. c Depth profile of double bond conversion rate under different UV exposure dosages. The thickness of oxygen inhibition layer is weakly dependent to the exposure dosages, and so does the curing thickness. The double bond conversion rate rapidly increases with the dosage when dosage is above the threshold. d Bright-field optical image of a printed buffalo logo with independently patterned stiffness and geometry (binary stiffness but flat surface). High optical contrast indicates the strong differences in crosslink density and, therefore, the stiffness. Scale bar is 200 μm. e Quantification of optical contrast (black line) and geometry (blue line) variation along the dotted line in b reveals sharp differences in contrast (stiffness) but little feature height variation ( < 1%)
“This is a profound development and an encouraging first step toward our goal of creating structures that function like a healthy cell should function,” Ding said.
As a demonstration, the researchers 3D printed three versions of a simple structure: a top beam supported by two rods. The structures were identical in shape, size and materials, but had been printed with three variations in rod rigidity: soft/soft, hard/soft and hard/hard. The harder rods supported the top beam while the softer rods allowed it to fully or partially collapse.
The researchers repeated the feat with a small Chinese warrior figure, printing it so that the outer layers remained hard while the interior remained soft, leaving the warrior with a tough exterior and a tender heart, so to speak.
The tabletop-sized 3D printer is currently capable of working with biomaterials down to a size of 10 microns, or about one-tenth the width of a human hair. The researchers are optimistic that future studies will help improve the capabilities even further.
“The challenge is to create an even finer scale for the chemical reactions,” said Yin. “But we see tremendous opportunity ahead for this technology and the potential for artificial tissue fabrication.”
The study was recently published in the journal Nature Communications.
Posted in 3D Printing Application
Maybe you also like:
- SHINING 3D Launches AccuFab-D1 DLP 3D printer at Global Reseller & Partner Meeting 2018
- Titomic signs $1.8M Defence MoU with TAUV to 3D print next-generation soldier systems
- Fraunhofer IKTS researchers use FFF 3D printing to make harder 3D metal prints
- Tonkin Liu develops trachea stent prototype using architectural Shell Lace Structure
- New method developed to 3D print lithium-ion batteries in nearly any shape
- ESA’s MELT 3D printer designed for use in microgravity
- Icon 3D prints homes in 24 hours for $4,000, raises $9 million for expansion
- Gillette launches Razor Maker concept for customizable 3D printed razor handles
- Coolrec and Refil launch HIPS 3D printer filament made from recycled fridges
- XJet opens world’s largest Additive Manufacturing Center for ceramics and metals in Israel
Where can I buy a 3D Bioprinter?
3Ders.org provides the latest news about 3D printing technology and 3D printers. We are now seven years old and have around 1.5 million unique visitors per month.
