Melt Electrowriting of a Photo–Crosslinkable Poly(ε–caprolactone)–Based Material into Tubular Constructs with Predefined Architecture and Tunable Mechanical Properties
Please always quote using this URN: urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-318524
- Melt electrowriting (MEW) is an additive manufacturing process that produces highly defined constructs with elements in the micrometer range. A specific configuration of MEW enables printing tubular constructs to create small-diameter tubular structures. The small pool of processable materials poses a bottleneck for wider application in biomedicine. To alleviate this obstacle, an acrylate-endcapped urethane-based polymer (AUP), using a poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) (molar mass: 20 000 g mol\(^{−1}\)) (AUP PCL20k) as backbone material, isMelt electrowriting (MEW) is an additive manufacturing process that produces highly defined constructs with elements in the micrometer range. A specific configuration of MEW enables printing tubular constructs to create small-diameter tubular structures. The small pool of processable materials poses a bottleneck for wider application in biomedicine. To alleviate this obstacle, an acrylate-endcapped urethane-based polymer (AUP), using a poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) (molar mass: 20 000 g mol\(^{−1}\)) (AUP PCL20k) as backbone material, is synthesized and utilized for MEW. Spectroscopic analysis confirms the successful modification of the PCL backbone with photo-crosslinkable acrylate endgroups. Printing experiments of AUP PCL20k reveal limited printability but the photo-crosslinking ability is preserved post-printing. To improve printability and to tune the mechanical properties of printed constructs, the AUP-material is blended with commercially available PCL (AUP PCL20k:PCL in ratios 80:20, 60:40, 50:50). Print fidelity improves for 60:40 and 50:50 blends. Blending enables modification of the constructs' mechanical properties to approximate the range of blood vessels for transplantation surgeries. The crosslinking-ability of the material allows pure AUP to be manipulated post-printing and illustrates significant differences in mechanical properties of 80:20 blends after crosslinking. An in vitro cell compatibility assay using human umbilical vein endothelial cells also demonstrates the material's non-cytotoxicity.…
Author: | Nele Pien, Michael Bartolf–Kopp, Laurens Parmentier, Jasper Delaey, Lobke de Vos, Diego Mantovani, Sandra van Vlierberghe, Peter Dubruel, Tomasz Jungst |
---|---|
URN: | urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-318524 |
Document Type: | Journal article |
Faculties: | Medizinische Fakultät / Abteilung für Funktionswerkstoffe der Medizin und der Zahnheilkunde |
Language: | English |
Parent Title (English): | Macromolecular Materials and Engineering |
ISSN: | 1438-7492 |
Year of Completion: | 2022 |
Volume: | 307 |
Issue: | 7 |
Article Number: | 2200097 |
Source: | Macromolecular Materials and Engineering 2022, 307(7):2200097. DOI: 10.1002/mame.202200097 |
DOI: | https://doi.org/10.1002/mame.202200097 |
Dewey Decimal Classification: | 6 Technik, Medizin, angewandte Wissenschaften / 61 Medizin und Gesundheit / 610 Medizin und Gesundheit |
Tag: | acrylate-endcapped urethane-based polymer (AUP); melt electrowriting (MEW); photo-crosslinking; physicochemical characterization; tubular constructs |
Release Date: | 2023/07/18 |
Licence (German): | CC BY-NC: Creative-Commons-Lizenz: Namensnennung, Nicht kommerziell 4.0 International |