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Development of Conductive Gelatine-Methacrylate Inks for Two-Photon Polymerisation
Paola Sanjuan-Alberte1,2, Jayasheelan Vaithilingam3, Jonathan C Moore4
1Regenerative Medicine and Cellular Therapies, Biodiscovery Institute, School of Pharmacy, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK.
Polymers
|April 3, 2021
Summary
Researchers developed advanced conductive hydrogels using gelatine methacrylate and carbon nanotubes for bioelectronics. This innovation enables precise micro/nanoscale fabrication of soft interfaces for cell growth and tissue engineering applications.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Bioelectronics
- Tissue Engineering
Background:
- Conductive hydrogels are crucial for bioelectronic devices, offering soft interfaces between biological and electrical systems.
- Current hydrogel fabrication methods struggle with precise control over micro/nanoscale topographies and architectures.
- Developing hydrogels with enhanced electrical properties and controlled structures is essential for advanced bioelectronic applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present a novel strategy for fabricating micro/nanoscale structures using conductive hydrogels.
- To enhance the electrical properties of gelatine methacrylate (GelMa)-based hydrogels through the incorporation of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs).
- To demonstrate the potential of these conductive hydrogels in supporting cell viability and enabling advanced fabrication techniques.
Main Methods:
- Formulation of GelMa-based inks incorporating MWCNTs as conductive nanofillers.
- Utilisation of two-photon polymerisation (2PP) for micro/nanoscale 3D printing of hydrogel structures.
- Characterisation of electrical properties using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry.
- Assessment of hPSC-CMs viability and growth on fabricated hydrogel structures.
Main Results:
- Successfully fabricated GelMa-based conductive hydrogel inks with enhanced electrical properties due to MWCNT dispersion.
- Achieved micro/nanoscale resolution structures, including ultra-thin films (10 µm) and scaffolds, using 2PP.
- Confirmed the biocompatibility of the conductive hydrogels, supporting the viability and growth of human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hPSC-CMs).
Conclusions:
- This work introduces an innovative approach for manufacturing high-resolution conductive hydrogels.
- The developed GelMa-MWCNT hydrogels show significant potential for applications in tissue engineering and bioelectronics.
- Further advancements in instrumentation are needed for fabricating more complex structures, but this method offers precise control at the micro/nanoscale.
