Two-phase 3D printing methods of forming biocompatible structures with immiscible liquids
Inventors
Backman, Daniel • Safavieh, Mohammadali • Kaur, Aman • Morris, Derek • Alvarez, Luis M.
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-12083736-B2
Publication Date
2024-09-10
Expiration Date
Abstract
A method of printing a hydrogel scaffold is provided which includes providing a container containing an ink and a liquid that is immiscible with the ink; applying light from a light source to the ink to form a portion of the hydrogel scaffold; and applying light from a light source one or more additional times to produce one or more additional portions of the hydrogel scaffold.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to printing a hydrogel scaffold using an ink and a liquid that is immiscible with the ink inside a container. During printing, light from a light source is applied to the ink to form a portion of the hydrogel scaffold, and one or more additional light applications produce additional portions of the hydrogel scaffold.
A key aspect of the process is that the immiscible liquid is added to replace at least a portion of ink that is consumed or otherwise lost during printing. The described approach maintains the use of the container that includes both the ink and the immiscible liquid while the scaffold portions are formed by successive applications of light.
In a further aspect, the invention is directed to reducing the amount of ink used during a digital light projection printing process to form a hydrogel scaffold. The amount of ink used is at least 50% less than the amount of ink required to form the same hydrogel scaffold in the absence of the immiscible liquid, and the immiscible liquid is a mixture of butyl ether and mineral oil containing 25% (w/w)-50% (w/w) petroleum ether.
Claims Coverage
The independent claims define two related inventive concepts: printing a hydrogel scaffold using a container that contains ink and an ink-immiscible liquid with additional light applications to form multiple scaffold portions, and reducing ink consumption in digital light projection printing by using that immiscible liquid with a quantified ink reduction requirement and a specified immiscible liquid composition. Across these independent claims, four main inventive features are explicitly articulated.
Printing a hydrogel scaffold with ink and an immiscible liquid
Providing a container containing an ink and a liquid that is immiscible with the ink; applying light from a light source to the ink to form a portion of the hydrogel scaffold.
Replacing ink consumed or lost with the immiscible liquid
Adding the liquid that is immiscible with the ink to replace at least a portion of the ink consumed or otherwise lost during the printing.
Producing additional scaffold portions via additional light applications
Applying light from a light source one or more additional times to produce one or more additional portions of the hydrogel scaffold.
Reducing ink usage by at least 50% using a specified immiscible liquid
Providing a container comprising an ink and a liquid that is immiscible with the ink; applying light from a light source to the ink to form a portion of the hydrogel scaffold; applying light from a light source one or more additional times to produce one or more additional portions of the hydrogel scaffold, wherein the amount of ink used to form the hydrogel scaffold is at least 50% less than the amount of ink required to form the same hydrogel scaffold in the absence of the liquid that is immiscible with the ink, and wherein the liquid that is immiscible with the ink is a mixture of butyl ether and mineral oil that contains 25% (w/w)-50% (w/w) of petroleum ether.
Together, the independent claims cover an ink-immiscible liquid container approach for two-phase/inverted digital light projection printing, where light is applied multiple times to form multiple hydrogel scaffold portions, and where ink consumption is reduced by at least 50% versus printing without the immiscible liquid, with the immiscible liquid composition specified for that ink reduction aspect.
Stated Advantages
The amount of ink used to form the hydrogel scaffold is at least 50% less than the amount of ink required to form the same hydrogel scaffold in the absence of the liquid that is immiscible with the ink.
In the described implementation, ink consumption can be reduced by reported amounts, up to about 80% reduction, and at least 50% less than without the immiscible liquid.
Documented Applications
Printing hydrogel scaffold structures for mechanical testing, including dogbone samples, and comparing collagen with two-phase collagen/mineral oil.
Printing large scaffold/model structures using a mineral oil second phase.
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