Living materials made by 3D printing cellulose-producing bacteria in granular gels

Bacterial cellulose is an attractive resource for the manufacturing of sustainable materials, but it is usually challenging to shape it into elaborate three-dimensional structures. Here, we report a manufacturing platform for the creation of complex-shaped cellulose objects by printing inks loaded with bacteria into a silicone-based granular gel. The gel provides the viscoelastic behavior necessary to shape the bacteria-laden ink in three dimensions and the gas permeability required to sustain cellular growth and cellulose formation after the printing process. Using Gluconacetobacter xylinus as model cellulose-producing bacteria, we study the growth and the mechanical properties of cellulose fiber networks obtained upon incubation of the printed inks. Diffusion processes within the ink were found to control the growth of the cellulose structures, which display mechanical properties within the range expected for conventional hydrogels. By keeping the bacteria alive in the printed object, we produce living materials in complex geometries that are able to self-regenerate their cellulose fiber network after damage. Such living hydrogels represent an enticing development towards functional materials with autonomous self-healing and self-regenerating capabilities.