Universal Nanocarrier Ink Platform for Biomaterials Additive Manufacturing

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Additive Manufacturing (AM)
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Ink engineering is crucial for developing advanced biomaterials in AM.
• Current bioinks often lack the versatility for diverse applications.
• Key requirements include flowability, stability, biointegration, and controlled release.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a universal nanocarrier ink (UNI) platform for extrusion-based AM.
• To demonstrate the UNI's capability for formulating versatile biofunctional inks.
• To enable customized biofunctionality for tissue engineering and drug delivery.

Main Methods:

• Development of a nanocarrier ink platform utilizing reversible polymer-nanoparticle interactions.
• Engineering shear-thinning and self-healing properties for direct ink writing (DIW).
• Combining UNI with secondary polymers for tailored rheology and biofunctionality.

Main Results:

• The UNI platform exhibits tailored rheology suitable for DIW.
• It allows for secondary cross-linking for construct stabilization.
• Formulations demonstrated successful bioprinting of tissue constructs and controlled release devices.

Conclusions:

• The universal nanocarrier ink platform offers a robust and versatile solution for AM.
• It facilitates rapid formulation of a wide array of functional inks.
• This platform advances the development of next-generation biomaterials for various applications.