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Natural sciences
- Macromolecular and materials chemistry not elsewhere classified
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Engineering and technology
- Polymer processing
- Tissue engineering
- Biomaterials engineering not elsewhere classified
The current project aims to design a versatile, cell-interactive hydrogel ink for volumetric additive manufacturing (VAM), enabling 3D printing of patient-specific implants to support tracheal tissue engineering. This innovative hydrogel ink aims to provide a multi-functional platform featuring: 1) Enhanced Mechanical Properties: Achieved through post-processing nitroxide-mediated polymerization (NMP) of methyl methacrylate (MMA). 2) Non-Destructive Imaging: Enabled by incorporating 5-acrylamido-2,4,6-triiodoisophthalic acid (ATIPA) via NMP. 3) Antioxidant and Pro-Angiogenic Properties: Resulting from the inclusion of panthenol citrate methacrylate (PCM) using NMP. 4) Tunable Biodegradability: Through the use of 2-methylene-4-phenyl-1,3-dioxolane (MPDL) as a co-monomer for NMP. The hydrogel ink offers enhanced mechanical properties, non-destructive imaging capabilities, antioxidant and pro-angiogenic properties as well as tunable biodegradability by incorporating alkoxyamines serving a dual role: 1) inhibitor during VAM printing; 2) functional moieties with living character permitting chain extension via post-processing nitroxide-mediated polymerization (NMP) of functional monomers within 3D-printed constructs. The strategy combines the cell-interactivity of gelatin-based hydrogels with the versatile properties of synthetic polymers, aiming to revolutionize tracheal tissue engineering.