Universal Solvent Escape Strategies for Efficient Curing of Hydrogen-Bond-Rich 3D Printing Inks

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Polymer Chemistry
• Tissue Engineering

Background:

• Hydrogen-bonded polymers are promising for biomedical uses due to biocompatibility and tunable properties.
• Challenges in direct ink writing include solvent entrapment, hindering scaffold fabrication.
• Efficient solvent removal is critical for printability, drying, and structural integrity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop universal solvent escape strategies for hydrogen-bonded polymers in 3D scaffold fabrication.
• To overcome limitations of solvent entrapment in direct ink writing.
• To enable rapid and structurally precise fabrication of functional scaffolds.

Main Methods:

• Integrated solvent escape strategy: solvent replacement, nanoparticle-induced microturbulence, and optimized printing paths.
• Molecular dynamics simulations to understand solvent network disruption.
• Finite element analysis to visualize and optimize solvent extraction during curing.

Main Results:

• Achieved rapid (< 3 min) and structurally precise scaffold fabrication with diverse polymers (chitosan, collagen, cellulose).
• Demonstrated multifunctional scaffolds with pH-responsive drug delivery capabilities.
• Enhanced osteogenic and angiogenic performance through improved calcium signaling and HIF-1α activation.

Conclusions:

• The integrated solvent escape strategy effectively addresses solvent entrapment in hydrogen-bonded polymers.
• Rapid fabrication of precise, multifunctional scaffolds is achievable for advanced biomedical applications.
• The developed scaffolds show significant potential for tissue engineering and controlled drug delivery.