“Bio-Flex”: advanced formulation for sustainable stereolithography (SLA)

Background/problem 

Stereolithography (SLA) 3D printing has transformed the biomedical field with creation of highly accurate, patient-specific medical devices such as tissue scaffolds, implants, and surgical tools. This technology leverages computer-aided design and medical imaging data to produce structures with precise geometries at submicron scales. Despite its potential, current SLA approaches face challenges. Traditional SLA resins, designed for industrial applications, often overlook critical biomedical properties like biodegradability and bio­compatibility. Additionally, conventional SLA resins struggle with integrating functional components (e.g., active pharmaceutical ingredients, metal nano­particles) essential for creating multifunctional biomedical devices. These issues underscore the need for advanced resin formulations that address these limitations.

Technology overview/solution

“Bio-Flex” is specifically designed for SLAs that boasts of essential mechanical and biomedical properties such as biodegradability and biocompatibility. Its formulation includes liquid polymers, monomers, and photopolymerization initiators, including di-urethane di-methacrylate (DUDMA), polyethylene glycol diacrylate (PEGDA 575 and PEGDA 700), and diphenyl (2,4,6-trimethyl benzoyl) phosphine oxide (TPO). In addition, Bio-Flex resin can incorporate various active ingredients, including polysaccharides, laser- or light-insensitive active pharmaceutical ingredients, and metal nanoparticles. This expands the creation of diverse biomedical devices like tissue scaffolds, implants, surgical tools, drug delivery systems, electronic sensors, and artificial skin. The resin is UV-curable and compatible with various SLA methods, producing highly accurate 3D structures with layer thicknesses ranging from 0.01 to 0.5 mm.

Benefits/competitive advantage

• Multi-functionality: Integrates functional components (polysaccharides, metal nanoparticles) into the SLA resin, transforming it into a multi-functional material suitable for various medical applications, with unique properties, such as enhanced biodegradability and targeted drug delivery
• Customizability: The flexibility in the composition also allows for customization according to specific medical requirements.
• Mechanical integrity and biocompatibility: The formulations maintain mechanical integrity and biocompatibility, crucial for medical devices.
• UV-curable: UV-curable and compatible with various SLA methods
• Safety and efficacy: FDA-approved components ensure safety and efficacy for medical use
• Precision and high accuracy: With the precision of SLA 3D printing that also enables highly accurate 3D structures with layer thicknesses ranging from 0.01 to 0.5 mm, positions this technology as a significant advancement in the field of medical device manufacturing
• Diverse applications: Suitable for fabricating diverse biomedical devices such as tissue scaffolds, implants, surgical tools, drug delivery systems, electronic sensors, and artificial skin

Opportunity

Bio-Flex offers a precise and versatile solutions for various fields and industries. For health and biomedical applications, it can be used in designing tissue scaffolds, implants, surgical tools, drug delivery systems, and electronic sensors. In sectors like cosmetics and industrial manufacturing, it can be used for creating prototypes. There may also be uses in aerospace and defense. The SLA technology 3D printing market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 19.27%. By 2028, it is expected to reach US$6.746 billion, up from US$1.964 billion in 2021.