A groundbreaking collaboration between Graz University of Technology (TU Graz) in Austria and the Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT) in India has resulted in the development of a 3D-printed skin model designed to replace animal testing in the cosmetic industry. This innovation aligns with increasingly strict European regulations—such as Directive 2010/63/EU—which significantly limit the use of animal testing for cosmetic purposes.

At the core of the research are specially engineered hydrogels, which serve as the foundation for creating lifelike, biomimetic skin structures. These hydrogels are infused with living skin cells and processed using a biocompatible 3D printing method. Their high water content makes them ideal for supporting cell growth and proliferation, but it also presents unique challenges in maintaining mechanical and chemical stability. To address this, TU Graz developed innovative crosslinking techniques that stabilize the structures under mild, cell-friendly conditions, avoiding substances that could damage the delicate cells.

Modern technologies—from shock absorbers and energy-efficient machinery to advanced robotics—depend on materials that can efficiently store and release mechanical energy. This essential process involves converting motion or mechanical work into elastic energy, which can later be recovered and reused. At the core of this transformation is enthalpy, a key measure of how much energy a material can absorb and release. Yet maximizing enthalpy remains a significant engineering challenge. According to Professor Peter Gumbsch of the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), the difficulty lies in balancing often conflicting properties: high stiffness, high strength, and large recoverable strain.

To overcome this, Gumbsch—who also directs the Fraunhofer Institute for Mechanics of Materials in Freiburg—collaborated with researchers from China and the United States to develop an innovative mechanical metamaterial. These are materials with engineered internal structures that do not exist in nature, granting them extraordinary properties. The team’s starting point was deceptively simple: a round rod. They discovered a way to store large amounts of elastic energy in it without breaking or causing permanent deformation. By cleverly arranging these rods, they integrated the mechanism into a full-scale metamaterial.

In a major step forward for regenerative medicine, researchers have developed a new bioceramic material that closely mimics the micro- and nanoscale structure of natural bone. The team overcame significant technical challenges by leveraging prenucleation clusters—tiny molecular structures naturally found in bone that play a key role in guiding mineralization.

By incorporating these clusters into a transparent calcium phosphate resin, the researchers were able to replicate the intricate architecture of real bone, bringing them one step closer to creating implants that don’t just support the body but become part of it. Their groundbreaking results were recently published in Advanced Materials.

Germany is tackling its mounting plastic waste crisis head-on with an innovative approach led by the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Technology and Advanced Materials (IFAM). In 2023 alone, the country generated a staggering 5.6 million metric tons of plastic waste—most of it single-use packaging consumed in homes. With less than a third of that being recyclable, scientists are under pressure to find new ways to reuse this waste.

Fraunhofer IFAM has developed a cutting-edge system that converts everyday household plastic waste into high-quality filaments used for 3D printing. The breakthrough comes at a critical time as industries increasingly demand sustainable materials for manufacturing.