NU 2017-011
Inventors
Guillermo A. Ameer*
Cheng Sun
Henry O.T. Ware
Chongwen Duan
Short Description
A method of printing 4D scaffolds made from a biodegradable, bioceramic-elastomer composite material.
Background
In recent years, there has been great interest in 4D printing, which can be defined as the 3D printing of parts with changing properties (geometric or mechanical) over time in response to an external stimulus. On demand manufacturing of patient-specific shape-conforming 4D scaffolds is crucial for improving wound healing. These scaffolds need to be physically, chemically, mechanically, and biologically tailored to the defect site to ensure the structure and function of regenerating bone and adjacent tissue is properly restored. Typical methods for bone scaffold manufacture have utilized powder bed methods, such as selective laser sintering and polyjet methods.
Abstract
Northwestern researchers have created a 4D biodegradable hard and soft tissue repair scaffold formulated with methacrylated poly(1,8 octanediol citrate) and hydroxyapatite. The method uses microCLIP (Micro Continuous Liquid Interface Processing), an additive manufacturing process that utilizes photopolymerization to create high resolution 3D geometric parts. The citrate-based biomaterials (CBBs) scaffolds are intrinsically antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and can be made to be vasculoinductive. Mechanical and degradation properties of CBBs can be tailored to fit a variety of applications, depending on the polymerization method and chain length of monomer. Scaffolds fabricated using CBB have initial elastic properties that allow their easy manipulation and placement in the bone defect. Upon implantation, the body's temperature triggers the scaffold to harden to become a tough, bone-like material. Also of note, the microCLIP apparatus has been modified to be allow for printing of multiple materials. As a result, methacrylated CBBs can be combined during fabrication to create scaffolds for both hard and soft tissue scaffolding.
Applications
Advantages
IP Status
Provisional and PCT applications have been filed.