The use of three-dimensional (3D) printable hydrogels for biomedical applications has attracted considerable attention as a consequence of the ability to precisely define the morphology of the printed object, allowing patients’ needs to be targeted. However, the majority of hydrogels do not possess suitable mechanical properties to fulfill an adequate rheological profile for printability, and hence, 3D printing of cross-linked networks is challenging and normally requires postprinting modifications to obtain the desired scaffolds. In this work, we took advantage of the crystallization process of poly(ethylene glycol) to print non-isocyanate poly(hydroxyurethane) hydrogels with tunable mechanical properties. As a consequence of the crystallization process, the hydrogel modulus can be tuned up to 3 orders of magnitude upon heating up to 40 °C, offering an interesting strategy to directly 3D-print hydrogels without the need of postprinting cross-linking. Moreover, the absence of any toxicity makes these materials ideal candidates for biomedical applications.
由于能够精确界定打印物体的形态,从而针对患者的需求进行定制,三维(3D)可打印
水凝胶在
生物医学领域的应用引起了广泛关注。然而,大多数
水凝胶并不具备适合的机械性能以满足可打印性的充分流变学特性,因此,交联网络的3D打印颇具挑战,通常需要打印后修改才能获得理想支架。在本研究中,我们利用聚
乙二醇的结晶过程,打印出具有可调节机械性能的非异
氰酸酯类聚羟基urethane
水凝胶。由于结晶过程,
水凝胶模量可在加热至40 °C时调节至高达三个数量级的范围,提供了一种无需打印后交联就能直接3D打印
水凝胶的有趣策略。此外,这些材料无任何毒性,使其成为
生物医学应用的理想候选材料。