High Internal Phase Pickering Emulsions as Structurally Tunable Bioinks for Extrusion-Based Printing From 3D...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Biomaterials Engineering
• Rheology

Background:

• High internal phase Pickering emulsions (HIPPEs) are emerging as advanced bioinks for extrusion-based 3D printing.
• HIPPEs are stabilized by solid particles at high internal phase fractions, exhibiting essential printability properties like yield stress and shear thinning.
• Their mechanical integrity stems from particle-stabilized interfaces, allowing decoupled control over material properties.

Purpose of the Study:

• This review critically examines the application of HIPPEs as bioinks in extrusion-based printing.
• It focuses on stabilization mechanisms, particle-interface interactions, formulation effects on internal architecture, and rheological properties relevant to printing.
• The review analyzes case studies to understand structure-function relationships and performance in various applications.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature review of HIPPEs as bioinks.
• Analysis of fundamental stabilization mechanisms and particle-interface interactions.
• Evaluation of formulation parameters and rheological properties for extrusion printing.

Main Results:

• HIPPEs offer advantages over hydrogels, including hierarchical porosity, hydrophobic cargo protection, and enhanced responsiveness.
• Key challenges include formulation sensitivity, scalability, reproducibility, and translational validation.
• HIPPEs enable decoupled control over mechanics, porosity, and functional loading, unlike conventional hydrogel bioinks.

Conclusions:

• HIPPEs represent a versatile platform for 3D printing, offering unique structural and functional properties.
• Future directions include interface-driven design, multi-stimuli adaptability, and integration with AI and digital fabrication.
• Advancements in HIPPEs can lead to intelligent, multifunctional printing platforms for diverse applications.