Characterization of 3D printed micro-blades for cutting tissue-embedding material

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Mechanical Engineering
• Biotechnology

Background:

• Microscale cutting of soft materials is crucial for applications like single-cell studies and tissue engineering.
• Understanding the relationship between blade geometry and cutting mechanics is essential but challenging.
• Precise fabrication of micro-blades with controlled geometries has been a significant hurdle.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of micro-blade geometry on the indentation cutting of soft materials.
• To establish a systematic method for studying microscale cutting mechanics.
• To guide the design of optimized micro-cutting tools.

Main Methods:

• Utilized Nanoscribe 3D printer for precise fabrication of micro-blades (<1 mm) and blade grid geometries.
• Employed a custom nanoindentation setup to measure cutting energy during paraffin wax indentation.
• Systematically varied micro-blade tip radius from ~100 nm to 10 μm and tested various blade configurations.

Main Results:

• Cutting energy decreased with decreasing micro-blade tip radius, reaching a plateau around 357 nm.
• Cutting energy showed a plateau despite further reductions in tip radius below 357 nm.
• For blade structures, cutting energy scaled approximately linearly with the total blade length.

Conclusions:

• Micro-blade tip radius significantly influences cutting energy, with an optimal range identified.
• 3D printing offers precise control over micro-blade geometry for systematic mechanical studies.
• The developed experimental platform can advance the design of microscale cutting technologies for soft materials.