A groundbreaking advancement in 3D printing technology is set to revolutionize medical applications, including the creation of custom implants and heart bandages. Researchers at CU Boulder, in collaboration with the University of Pennsylvania, have developed a novel 3D printing method that produces materials that are both incredibly strong and flexible, capable of adapting to the body’s unique requirements.
Innovative Material for Medical Applications
Led by Professor Jason Burdick of CU Boulder’s BioFrontiers Institute, the research team has engineered a new material that can withstand the heart’s constant beating, endure joint pressure, and conform to various shapes and sizes. Their findings were published in the August 2 edition of Science.
“Cardiac and cartilage tissues have very limited capacity to repair themselves. When they’re damaged, there is no turning back,” said Burdick. “By developing new, more resilient materials to enhance that repair process, we can have a significant impact on patients.”
Traditional biomedical devices are often mass-produced, lacking the flexibility needed for personalized implants. However, 3D printing offers a solution by enabling the creation of customized shapes and structures. Unlike conventional printers, 3D printers construct objects layer by layer using materials such as plastics, metals, or even living cells.
Hydrogels, commonly used in contact lenses, have shown promise for artificial tissues and implants. However, conventional 3D-printed hydrogels often fail under stress, either breaking when stretched or cracking under pressure.
Drawing inspiration from the natural world, Burdick’s team mimicked the way worms form solid yet flexible “blobs” by entangling themselves. By replicating this molecular entanglement, they developed a new printing method called CLEAR (Continuous-curing after Light Exposure Aided by Redox initiation).
Exceptional Resilience and Adhesion
Tests revealed that materials printed with CLEAR were far more durable than those produced using traditional 3D printing methods. In one demonstration, a researcher ran over a sample with a bike, underscoring its impressive strength. Additionally, these materials adhered effectively to animal tissues and organs.
“We can now 3D print adhesive materials strong enough to support tissue mechanically,” said Matt Davidson, a research associate in the Burdick Lab.
Transformative Potential for Medical Care
Burdick envisions these materials being used to repair heart defects, deliver tissue-regenerating drugs directly to organs, support cartilage, and potentially replace traditional sutures with needle-free options that minimize tissue damage.
The team has filed for a provisional patent and plans to conduct further studies to explore how tissues interact with these new materials.
Beyond medical applications, this innovative method could have significant implications in research and manufacturing, offering a more environmentally friendly 3D printing process by eliminating the need for additional energy to harden parts.
“This is a simple 3D processing method that people could ultimately use in their own academic labs as well as in industry to improve the mechanical properties of materials for a wide variety of applications,” said Abhishek Dhand, a researcher in the Burdick Lab and doctoral candidate in the Department of Bioengineering at the University of Pennsylvania.
By Impact Lab
