Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 25, 2025
06:14
Expansion of Two-dimension Electrospun Nanofiber Mats into Three-dimension Scaffolds
Published on: January 7, 2019
7.0K
Three-dimensionally printed polylactic acid/cellulose acetate scaffolds with antimicrobial effect
Mengdi Zuo1, Nengyu Pan1, Quanjing Liu2
1Key Laboratory of Eco-textiles of Ministry of Education, School of Textiles and Clothing, Jiangnan University Wuxi Jiangsu 214122 China xhren@jiangnan.edu.cn.
RSC Advances
|May 2, 2022
Summary
Researchers developed low-cost, biodegradable 3D printed scaffolds using direct ink writing (DIW) for antibacterial uses. These novel scaffolds, loaded with an antiseptic agent, show excellent stability and effective bacterial inhibition, offering applications in food packaging and biomedical materials.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Biotechnology
- Chemical Engineering
Background:
- Developing effective antibacterial materials is crucial for preventing infections in various applications.
- Biodegradable and low-cost scaffolds offer sustainable solutions for medical and industrial needs.
- Direct ink writing (DIW) is a promising additive manufacturing technique for creating complex structures.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop novel, biodegradable, and antiseptic-loaded scaffolds using DIW for antibacterial applications.
- To investigate the effect of cellulose acetate (CA) content on the rheological properties and printability of polylactic acid (PLA) based inks.
- To evaluate the antibacterial efficacy of the developed scaffolds against common bacterial strains.
Main Methods:
- Polylactic acid (PLA) and cellulose acetate (CA) mixtures were prepared at varying composition ratios.
- Rheological properties of the inks were analyzed to determine optimal formulations for DIW.
- The antimicrobial agent 1-chloro-2,2,5,5-tetramethyl-4-imidazolidinone (MC) was incorporated into the printed scaffolds.
- Antibacterial activity was tested against *Staphylococcus aureus* (S. aureus) and *Escherichia coli* O157:H7 (E. coli).
Main Results:
- The addition of an appropriate amount of CA improved the printability of PLA/CA inks by forming a 3D hydrogen bonding network.
- A liquid ink formulation consisting of a majority of PLA and a minority of CA was successfully prepared and printed using DIW for the first time.
- The MC-loaded scaffolds demonstrated excellent stability and potent antibacterial activity against both *S. aureus* and *E. coli* O157:H7 within a short timeframe.
- The 3D printed scaffolds exhibited ease of fabrication and biocidal properties.
Conclusions:
- Novel, biodegradable, antiseptic-loaded scaffolds were successfully fabricated using a DIW technique with PLA/CA mixtures.
- The developed scaffolds possess excellent antibacterial properties, making them suitable for preventing bacterial infections.
- These 3D printed materials hold significant potential for applications in food packaging, medical equipment, and biomedical materials.
