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Additive Manufacturing of Polymeric Materials

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A special issue of Polymers (ISSN 2073-4360). This special issue belongs to the section "Polymer Processing and Engineering".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (18 April 2019)

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Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Kun Zhou

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School of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore 639798, Singapore
Interests: additive manufacturing; computational materials science; micromechanics; contact mechanics and tribology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Hong Wu

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State Key Laboratory of Powder Metallurgy, Central South University, Changsha, China
Interests: additive manufacturing; biomedical materials
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Yusheng Shi

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School of Materials Science and Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
Interests: additive manufacturing; 3D printing; 4D printing; composite materials; ceramic; polymer; metal; functional devices; intelligent components; three-dimensional measurement
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Chunze Yan

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School of Materials Science and Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
Interests: selective laser melting; selective laser sintering; 4D printing; bio-implants and tissue scaffold fabrication; biomaterials; porous materials; carbon nanotubes/graphene nanocomposites; carbon fibres reinforced composites

Dr. Jiaming Bai

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Department of Mechanical and Energy Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
Interests: additive manufacturing (3D printing); new material development; structural design and optimization of additive manufacturing technology; parameter optimization and simulation of the laser-powder 3D printing process

Special Issue Information

Dear colleagues,

Additive manufacturing (AM) is the process of fabricating three-dimensional (3D) components, layer on layer, from 3D model data. AM allows the production of customized parts from metals, ceramics, and polymers without the need for molds or machining typical for conventional formative and subtractive fabrication. Polymers and their composites are one of the most widely used materials in today’s industry and are of great interest in AM due to the vast potential for various applications, such as in the medical, aerospace and automotive industries. The range of polymers used in AM encompasses thermoplastics, thermosets, elastomers, hydrogels, functional polymers, polymer blends, composites, and biological systems. Over the past decade, many studies have been done on developing new polymeric materials for AM processes such as selective laser sintering, fused deposition modeling, vat photopolymerization and material jetting.

This Special Issue is aimed at collecting cutting-edge original research papers and reviews on the latest advances in AM of polymeric materials. The topic themes include advanced polymeric materials development, processing parameter optimization, characterization techniques, structure-property relationships, process modelling, etc., specifically for AM.

Prof. Dr. Kun Zhou
Prof. Dr. Hong Wu
Prof. Dr. Yusheng Shi
Prof. Dr. Chunze Yan
Dr. Jiaming Bai
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Polymers is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

Additive manufacturing
3D printing
Polymeric materials
Process modelling

Published Papers (14 papers)

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Research

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17 pages, 6475 KiB

Open AccessArticle

3D Printing of Polymeric Multi-Layer Micro-Perforated Panels for Tunable Wideband Sound Absorption

by Wenjing Yang, Xueyu Bai, Wei Zhu, Raj Kiran, Jia An, Chee Kai Chua and Kun Zhou

Polymers 2020, 12(2), 360; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym12020360 - 06 Feb 2020

Cited by 43 | Viewed by 5910

Abstract

The increasing concern about noise pollution has accelerated the development of acoustic absorption and damping devices. However, conventional subtractive manufacturing can only fabricate absorption devices with simple geometric shapes that are unable to achieve high absorption coefficients in wide frequency ranges. In this paper, novel multi-layer micro-perforated panels (MPPs) with tunable wideband absorption are designed and fabricated by 3D printing or additive manufacturing. Selective laser sintering (SLS), which is an advanced powder-based 3D printing technique, is newly introduced for MPP manufacturing with polyamide 12 as the feedstock. The acoustic performances of the MPPs are investigated by theoretical, numerical, and experimental methods. The results reveal that the absorption frequency bandwidths of the structures are wider than those of conventional single-layer MPPs, while the absorption coefficients remain comparable or even higher. The frequency ranges can be tuned by varying the air gap distances and the inter-layer distances. Furthermore, an optimization method is introduced for structural designs of MPPs with the most effective sound absorption performances in the target frequency ranges. This study reveals the potential of 3D printing to fabricate acoustic devices with effective tunable sound absorption behaviors and provides an optimization method for future structural design of the wideband sound absorption devices. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Additive Manufacturing of Polymeric Materials)

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21 pages, 5871 KiB

Open AccessArticle

3D Bioprinting of the Sustained Drug Release Wound Dressing with Double-Crosslinked Hyaluronic-Acid-Based Hydrogels

by Haopeng Si, Tianlong Xing, Yulong Ding, Hongbo Zhang, Ruixue Yin and Wenjun Zhang

Polymers 2019, 11(10), 1584; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym11101584 - 27 Sep 2019

Cited by 58 | Viewed by 6321

Abstract

Hyaluronic acid (HA)-based hydrogels are widely used in biomedical applications due to their excellent biocompatibility. HA can be Ultraviolet (UV)-crosslinked by modification with methacrylic anhydride (HA-MA) and crosslinked by modification with 3,3′-dithiobis(propionylhydrazide) (DTP) (HA-SH) via click reaction. In the study presented in this paper, a 3D-bioprinted, double-crosslinked, hyaluronic-acid-based hydrogel for wound dressing was proposed. The hydrogel was produced by mixing HA-MA and HA-SH at different weight ratios. The rheological test showed that the storage modulus (G’) of the HA-SH/HA-MA hydrogel increased with the increase in the HA-MA content. The hydrogel had a high swelling ratio and a high controlled degradation rate. The in vitro degradation test showed that the hydrogel at the HA-SH/HA-MA ratio of 9:1 (S9M1) degraded by 89.91% ± 2.26% at 11 days. The rheological performance, drug release profile and the cytocompatibility of HA-SH/HA-MA hydrogels with loaded Nafcillin, which is an antibacterial drug, were evaluated. The wound dressing function of this hydrogel was evaluated by Live/Dead staining and CCK-8 assays. The foregoing results imply that the proposed HA-SH/HA-MA hydrogel has promise in wound repair applications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Additive Manufacturing of Polymeric Materials)

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18 pages, 1738 KiB

Open AccessArticle

In Situ WAXD and SAXS during Tensile Deformation Of Moulded and Sintered Polyamide 12

by Fabio Paolucci, Leon Govaert and Gerrit Peters

Polymers 2019, 11(6), 1001; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym11061001 - 05 Jun 2019

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 4569

Abstract

To provide knowledge to improve the mechanical performance of Polyamide 12 (PA12) sintered products, we have studied experimentally the mechanical response and structure development under constant strain rate of compression moulded and laser sintered PA12 by means of in situ small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD) experiments. It is found that at low temperatures, i.e., below the glass transition temperature, the brittle failure of laser sintered samples is determined by the fast formation of voids that originate at the beginning of the macroscopic plastic deformation. This effect appears to be faster at temperatures below room temperature and it is less effective at higher temperatures. When tested at 120

^{\circ}

C, sintered PA12 shows a better mechanical response in terms of yield stress and a comparable strain at break with respect to moulded PA12. This can be explained by considering that sintered samples have slightly thicker crystals that can sustain higher stress at high temperature. However, this also leads to the formation of a larger number of voids at low testing temperatures. This work does not attempt to quantify the micromechanics behind crystals deformation and disruption, but it provides a deeper insight in the difference between the mechanical response of moulded and sintered PA12. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Additive Manufacturing of Polymeric Materials)

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13 pages, 3164 KiB

Open AccessArticle

3D Printing of an Oil/Water Mixture Separator with In Situ Demulsification and Separation

by Changyou Yan, Shuanhong Ma, Zhongying Ji, Yuxiong Guo, Zhilu Liu, Xiaoqin Zhang and Xiaolong Wang

Polymers 2019, 11(5), 774; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym11050774 - 01 May 2019

Cited by 24 | Viewed by 6494

Abstract

Currently, many meshes, membranes, and fabrics with extreme wettability of superhydrophobicity/superoleophilicity, or superhydrophilicity and underwater superoleophobicity are promising candidates for oil/water mixture separation. Nevertheless, a facile yet effective way to design and fabricate porous mesh still remains challenging. In this work, fused deposition modeling (FDM) 3D printing of Fe/polylactic acid (PLA) composites was employed to fabricate superhydrophilic and underwater superoleophobic mesh (S-USM) with hydrogel coatings via the surface polymerization of Fe(II)-mediated redox reaction. In addition, salt of aluminum chloride was incorporated within the hydrogel coating, which was attributed to strengthening the demulsification of oil-in-water emulsions, resulting in efficient separation of oil-in-water mixtures. The S-USM was efficient for a wide range of oil-in-water mixtures, such as dodecane, diesel, vegetable oil, and even crude oil, with a separation efficiency of up to 85%. In this study, the flexible design and fabrication of 3D printing were used for the facile creation of spherical oil skimmers with hydrogel coatings that were capable of removing the floating oil. Most importantly, this work is expected to promote post-treatment processes using 3D printing as a new manufacturing technology and, in this way, a series of devices of specific shape and function will be expanded to satisfy desired requirements and bring great convenience to personal life. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Additive Manufacturing of Polymeric Materials)

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12 pages, 2836 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

PA12 Powder Recycled from SLS for FDM

by Li Feng, Yan Wang and Qinya Wei

Polymers 2019, 11(4), 727; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym11040727 - 22 Apr 2019

Cited by 56 | Viewed by 7941

Abstract

In this study, Polyamide 12 (PA12) powder recycled after selective laser sintering (SLS) was made into filaments for fused deposition modelling (FDM). Compared with fresh PA12, the melt flow rate (MFR) of the recycled PA12 powder decreased by 77%, but the mechanical properties were only slightly reduced. In FDM, the printing speed and building orientation were changed, and the performance of the printed parts was tested. If the printing speed is too fast or too slow, the mechanical properties of the parts will be affected, and there is an optimal speed range. The tensile strength, flexural modulus, and impact strength of a printed test sample made from recycled powder reached 95%, 85%, and 87% of an x-direction test sample made from fresh PA12, respectively. For test samples printed from different orientations, the mechanical properties of the test samples printed in the x-direction were the best, while the crystallization performance was the opposite. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) images show that the printed test sample had good compactness and mechanical properties, and the delamination phenomenon was basically not observed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Additive Manufacturing of Polymeric Materials)

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12 pages, 6059 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Coaxial Printing of Silicone Elastomer Composite Fibers for Stretchable and Wearable Piezoresistive Sensors

by Zhenhua Tang, Shuhai Jia, Xuesong Shi, Bo Li and Chenghao Zhou

Polymers 2019, 11(4), 666; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym11040666 - 11 Apr 2019

Cited by 39 | Viewed by 5573

Abstract

Despite the tremendous efforts dedicated to developing various wearable piezoresistive sensors with sufficient stretchability and high sensitivity, challenges remain pertaining to fabrication scalability, cost, and efficiency. In this study, a facile, scalable, and low-cost coaxial printing strategy is employed to fabricate stretchable and flexible fibers with a core–sheath structure for wearable strain sensors. The highly viscous silica-modified silicone elastomer solution is used to print the insulating sheath layer, and the silicone elastomer solutions containing multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are used as the core inks to print the conductive inner layer. With the addition of silica powders as viscosifiers, silica-filled silicone ink (sheath ink) converts to printable ink. The dimensions of the printed coaxial fibers can be flexibly controlled via adjusting the extrusion pressure of the inks. In addition, the electro-mechanical responses of the fiber-shaped strain sensors are investigated. The printed stretchable and wearable fiber-like CNT-based strain sensor exhibits outstanding sensitivities with gauge factors (GFs) of 1.4 to 2.5 × 10⁶, a large stretchability of 150%, and excellent waterproof performance. Furthermore, the sensor can detect a strain of 0.1% and showed stable responses for over 15,000 cycles (high durability). The printed fiber-shaped sensor demonstrated capabilities of detecting and differentiating human joint movements and monitoring balloon inflation. These results obtained demonstrate that the one-step printed fiber-like strain sensors have potential applications in wearable devices, soft robotics, and electronic skins. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Additive Manufacturing of Polymeric Materials)

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15 pages, 4631 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Flexural Properties and Fracture Behavior of CF/PEEK in Orthogonal Building Orientation by FDM: Microstructure and Mechanism

by Qiushi Li, Wei Zhao, Yongxiang Li, Weiwei Yang and Gong Wang

Polymers 2019, 11(4), 656; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym11040656 - 10 Apr 2019

Cited by 99 | Viewed by 10515

Abstract

Fused deposition modeling possesses great advantages in fabricating high performance composites with controllable structural designs. As such, it has attracted attention from medical, automatic, and aerospace fields. In this paper, the influence of short carbon fibers (SCFs) and the orthogonal building orientation on the flexural properties of printed polyether ether ketone (PEEK) composites are systematically studied. The results show that the addition of SCFs raises the uniform nucleation process of PEEK during 3D printing, decreases the layer-to-layer bonding strength, and greatly changes the fracture mode. The flexural strength of vertically printed PEEK and its CF-reinforced composites show strengths that are as high as molded composites. X-ray micro-computed tomography reveals the microstructure of the printed composites and the transformation of pores during bending tests, which provides evidence for the good mechanical properties of the vertically printed composites. The effect of multi-scale factors on the mechanical properties of the composites, such as crystallization in different positions, layer-by-layer bonding, and porosity, provide a successful interpretation of their fracture modes. This work provides a promising and cost-effective method to fabricate 3D printed composites with tailored, orientation-dependent properties. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Additive Manufacturing of Polymeric Materials)

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13 pages, 2453 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Glass Fiber-Reinforced Phenol Formaldehyde Resin-Based Electrical Insulating Composites Fabricated by Selective Laser Sintering

by Zhaoqing Li, Wangbing Zhou, Lei Yang, Peng Chen, Chunze Yan, Chao Cai, Hua Li, Lee Li and Yusheng Shi

Polymers 2019, 11(1), 135; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym11010135 - 14 Jan 2019

Cited by 33 | Viewed by 10599

Abstract

In this study, glass fiber (GF)/phenol formaldehyde resin (PF)/epoxy resin (EP) three-phase electrical insulating composites were fabricated by selective laser sintering (SLS) additive manufacturing technology and subsequent infiltration. In the three-phase composites, glass fibers modified by a silane coupling agent (KH-550) were used as reinforcements, phenol formaldehyde resin acted as the binder and matrix, and infiltrated epoxy resin was the filler. Mechanical and electrical properties such as tensile strength, bending strength, dielectric constant, electrical conductivity, and electric breakdown strength of the GF/PF/EP three-phase composite parts were investigated. The results indicated that after being infiltrated with EP, the bending strength and tensile strength of the GF/PF/EP composites increased by 30% and 42.8%, respectively. Moreover, the flexural strength and tensile strength of the GF/PF/EP composite increased with the increase of the glass fiber content. More importantly, the three-phase composites showed high electrical properties. Significant improvement in the dielectric constant, electric breakdown strength, and resistivity with the increase in the content of glass fiber was observed. This enables the prepared GF/PF/EP composites to form complex structural electrical insulation devices by SLS, which expands the materials and applications of additive manufacturing technology. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Additive Manufacturing of Polymeric Materials)

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12 pages, 4953 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Photocurable Bioinks for the 3D Pharming of Combination Therapies

by Giovanny F. Acosta-Vélez, Chase S. Linsley, Timothy Z. Zhu, Willie Wu and Benjamin M. Wu

Polymers 2018, 10(12), 1372; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym10121372 - 11 Dec 2018

Cited by 21 | Viewed by 3715

Abstract

Combination therapies mediate drug synergy to improve treatment efficacy and convenience, leading to higher levels of compliance. However, there are challenges with their manufacturing as well as reduced flexibility in dosing options. This study reports on the design and characterization of a polypill fabricated through the combination of material jetting and binder jetting for the treatment of hypertension. The drugs lisinopril and spironolactone were loaded into hydrophilic hyaluronic acid and hydrophobic poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) photocurable bioinks, respectively, and dispensed through a piezoelectric nozzle onto a blank preform tablet composed of two attachable compartments fabricated via binder jetting 3D printing. The bioinks were photopolymerized and their mechanical properties were assessed via Instron testing. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was performed to indicate morphological analysis. The polypill was ensembled and drug release analysis was performed. Droplet formation of bioinks loaded with hydrophilic and hydrophobic active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) was achieved and subsequently polymerized after a controlled dosage was dispensed onto preform tablet compartments. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis showed sustained release profiles for each of the loaded compounds. This study confirms the potential of material jetting in conjunction with binder jetting techniques (powder-bed 3D printing), for the production of combination therapy oral dosage forms involving both hydrophilic and hydrophobic drugs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Additive Manufacturing of Polymeric Materials)

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15 pages, 4312 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Manufacturing of Polymeric Substrates with Copper Nanofillers through Laser Stereolithography Technique

by Ely Dannier V-Niño, Andrés Díaz Lantada, Quentin Lonne, Hugo Armando Estupiñán Durán, Enrique Mejía-Ospino, Gustavo Ramírez-Caballero and José Luis Endrino

Polymers 2018, 10(12), 1325; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym10121325 - 29 Nov 2018

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3449

Abstract

This study presents the additive manufacture of objects using mass-functionalized photo-resins, which are additively photopolymerized using the laser stereolithography technique. The mass functionalization is based on the incorporation of copper nanowires used as fillers at different concentrations. Cylindrical and tensile test probes are [...] Read more.

100 µ m

. The morphological, mechanical, thermal and chemical results help to show the viability and potential that this combination of mass-functionalized resins and technological processes may have in the near future, once key challenges are solved. Finally, some potential applications are also discussed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Additive Manufacturing of Polymeric Materials)

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14 pages, 3710 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Mechanical, Thermal, and Shape Memory Properties of Three-Dimensional Printing Biomass Composites

by Hongjie Bi, Min Xu, Gaoyuan Ye, Rui Guo, Liping Cai and Zechun Ren

Polymers 2018, 10(11), 1234; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym10111234 - 07 Nov 2018

Cited by 27 | Viewed by 5224

Abstract

In this study, a series of heat-induced shape memory composites was prepared by the hot-melt extrusion and three-dimensional (3D) printing of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) using wood flour (WF) with different contents of EPDM-g-MAH. The mechanical properties, microtopography, thermal property analysis, and heat-induced shape memory properties of the composites were examined. The results showed that, when the EPDM-g-MAH content was 4%, the tensile elongation and tensile strength of the composites reached the maximum value. The scanning electron microscopy and dynamic mechanical analysis results revealed a good interface bonding between TPU and WF when the EPDM-g-MAH content was 4%. The thermogravimetric analysis indicated that the thermal stability of TPU/WF composites was enhanced by the addition of 4% EPDM-g-MAH. Heat-induced shape memory test results showed that the shape memory performance of composites with 4% EPDM-g-MAH was better than that of unmodified-composites. The composites’ shape recovery performance at a temperature of 60 °C was higher than that of the composites at ambient temperature. It was also found that, when the filling angle of the specimen was 45°, the recovery angle of the composites was larger. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Additive Manufacturing of Polymeric Materials)

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8 pages, 2166 KiB

Open AccessCommunication

Fabrication of Conducting Polyacrylate Resin Solution with Polyaniline Nanofiber and Graphene for Conductive 3D Printing Application

by Hoseong Han and Sunghun Cho

Polymers 2018, 10(9), 1003; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym10091003 - 08 Sep 2018

Cited by 31 | Viewed by 6970

Abstract

Three-dimensional printing based on the digital light processing (DLP) method offers solution processability, fast printing time, and high-quality printing through selective light curing of photopolymers. This research relates to a method of dispersing polyaniline nanofibers (PANI NFs) and graphene sheets in a polyacrylate resin solution for optimizing the conductive solution suitable for DLP-type 3D printing. Dispersion and morphology of the samples with different filler contents were investigated by field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM) and optical microscope (OM) analyses. The polyacrylate composite solution employing the PANI NFs and graphene was printed well with various shapes and sizes through the 3D printing of DLP technology. In addition, the electrical properties of the printed sculptures have been investigated using a 4-point probe measurement system. The printed sculpture containing the PANI NFs and graphene sheets exhibited electrical conductivity (4.00 × 10⁻⁹ S/cm) up to 10⁷ times higher than the pure polyacrylate (1.1 × 10⁻¹⁶ S/cm). This work suggests potential application of the PANI NF/graphene cofiller system for DLP-type 3D printing. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Additive Manufacturing of Polymeric Materials)

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13 pages, 19265 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Extrusion 3D Printing of Polybutyrate-Adipate-Terephthalate-Polymer Composites in the Pellet Form

by Sarat Singamneni, Dawn Smith, Marie-Joo LeGuen and Derryn Truong

Polymers 2018, 10(8), 922; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym10080922 - 17 Aug 2018

Cited by 39 | Viewed by 6840

Abstract

Fused deposition modelling is a common 3D printing technique used for the freeform fabrication of complex shapes based on polymers. Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) is the common material option, though polylactide (PLA) has also proved to be a successful candidate. There is an ever increasing demand to harness new materials as possible candidates for fused deposition. The current research is focused on evaluating polybutyrate-adipate-terephthalate–polymer (PBAT) for fused deposition modelling. Both neat and composite PBAT filled with varying wood flour fillers were experimentally analyzed for 3D printing by extrusion from the pellet forms. The results are positive and the addition of small quantities of the wood flour filler material was found to improve the thixotropic nature of the polymer composite and consequently the inter-strand and inter-layer coalescence. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Additive Manufacturing of Polymeric Materials)

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Review

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26 pages, 4658 KiB

Open AccessReview

Natural Polymers for Organ 3D Bioprinting

by Fan Liu, Qiuhong Chen, Chen Liu, Qiang Ao, Xiaohong Tian, Jun Fan, Hao Tong and Xiaohong Wang

Polymers 2018, 10(11), 1278; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym10111278 - 16 Nov 2018

Cited by 112 | Viewed by 9612

Abstract

Three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting, known as a promising technology for bioartificial organ manufacturing, has provided unprecedented versatility to manipulate cells and other biomaterials with precise control their locations in space. Over the last decade, a number of 3D bioprinting technologies have been explored. Natural polymers have played a central role in supporting the cellular and biomolecular activities before, during and after the 3D bioprinting processes. These polymers have been widely used as effective cell-loading hydrogels for homogeneous/heterogeneous tissue/organ formation, hierarchical vascular/neural/lymphatic network construction, as well as multiple biological/biochemial/physiological/biomedical/pathological functionality realization. This review aims to cover recent progress in natural polymers for bioartificial organ 3D bioprinting. It is structured as introducing the important properties of 3D printable natural polymers, successful models of 3D tissue/organ construction and typical technologies for bioartificial organ 3D bioprinting. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Additive Manufacturing of Polymeric Materials)

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