4D printing smart biomedical scaffolds with novel soybean oil epoxidized acrylate

Abstract

Photocurable, biocompatible liquid resins are highly desired for 3D stereolithography based bioprinting. Here we solidified a novel renewable soybean oil epoxidized acrylate, using a 3D laser printing technique, into smart and highly biocompatible scaffolds capable of supporting growth of multipotent human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs). Porous scaffolds were readily fabricated by simply adjusting the printer infill density; superficial structures of the polymerized soybean oil epoxidized acrylate were significantly affected by laser frequency and printing speed. Shape memory tests confirmed that the scaffold fixed a temporary shape at −18 °C and fully recovered its original shape at human body temperature (37 °C), which indicated the great potential for 4D printing applications. Cytotoxicity analysis proved that the printed scaffolds had significant higher hMSC adhesion and proliferation than traditional polyethylene glycol diacrylate (PEGDA), and had no statistical difference from poly lactic acid (PLA) and polycaprolactone (PCL). This research is believed to significantly advance the development of biomedical scaffolds with renewable plant oils and advanced 3D fabrication techniques.

4D printing of polymeric materials for tissue and organ regeneration

“…Shape memory thermoset polymers can be directly 3D printed with different printing techniques [15, 49–51]. For example, soybean oil epoxidized acrylate was laser printed for the fabrication of biomedical scaffolds [15].…”

“…For example, soybean oil epoxidized acrylate was laser printed for the fabrication of biomedical scaffolds [15]. The ink was developed using soybean oil epoxidized acrylate with bis(2,4,6-trimethylbenzoyl)-phenylphosphineoxide as a photopolymerizer.…”

“…In this regard, resin-based 3D printers (STL or DLP) are preferred for fabrication; liquid monomers or oligomers are placed in a resin bath and photopolymerization is performed layer by layer[15]. As a matter of fact, many thermoset polymers are obtained through a thermal curing process, but most of these types of thermosets are unprintable [56–64].…”

“…Scaffolds capable of supporting the growth of multipotent human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) were 3D STL printed with soybean oil epoxidized acrylate[15]. Laser frequency and printing speed have great effects on the superficial structures of the polymerized soybean oil epoxidized acrylate (Figure 8A).…”

Current Perspectives on Printing Technology for Biomedical Applications

“…Recently, soybean oil epoxidized acrylate was used as an ink for fabricating 3D-bioprinted biomedical scaffolds to elucidate biocompatibility and cytocompatibility with human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells. The 3D-bioprinted scaffolds also tend to exert potent shape memory effects, thus facilitating 4D functionality and highlight the importance of renewable plant oils for biomedical scaffold development and 3D fabrication methods [11].…”