Characterization of 3D-printed acrylonitrile butadiene styrene and polylactic acid carrier-beads for Gluconobacter...

Bioprocesses play a crucial role in the production of biotechnological compounds, and 3D printing offers innovative solutions, including the creation of beads for cell immobilization. This technology enables the development of customized structures with various geometries and properties (shape, size, porosity, density, and roughness). This study produced carrier beads using fused filament fabrication with two different thermopolymers: acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) and polylactic acid (PLA). The carrier beads were printed with three distinct millipore geometries-hexagonal, square, and triangular-to evaluate immobilizing Gluconobacter oxydans' efficiency and investigate how immobilization varies based on the material type and millipore geometry. ABS exhibited greater surface roughness compared to PLA, which enhanced cell immobilization. The highest cell immobilization efficiencies were achieved with the ABS beads, with the hexagonal millipore geometry demonstrating the best efficiency at 84.7 %. Determining mechanical parameters, including storage and loss modulus, is essential for ensuring the durability of the beads in industrial processes. The glass transition temperatures for ABS and PLA were found to be 105 °C and 60 °C to 65 °C, respectively. Thus, 3D printing stands out for its versatility in material selection and geometry, optimizing the performance of bioprocesses.