Bioengineers and chemists design fluorescent 3D printed structures with potential medical applications

The ring-shaped “nanohoops” emit light of different colors depending on their structure. Credit: University of Oregon
Researchers at the University of Oregon have mixed fluorescent ring-shaped molecules into a new 3D printing process, using the simple process of mixing eggs and flour to make pancakes. The result is complex light-emitting structures that support the development of new classes of biomedical implants.
This advancement solves a long-standing design challenge by making it easier to track and monitor structures inside the body, making it easier for researchers to distinguish between parts of the implant and cells and tissues.
The discovery comes from a collaboration between Paul Dalton’s engineering lab on the Phil and Penny Knight Campus and Ramesh Justi’s chemistry lab in the university’s College of Arts and Sciences, which accelerates scientific impact. Ta. The researchers describe their findings in a paper published this summer in the journal Small.
“I think it was a weird time where we said, ‘Let’s give it a try,’ and it just clicked almost immediately,” Dalton said.
However, behind that simple origin story lie many years of specialized research and expertise in two very different fields before they were finally brought together.
Dalton’s lab specializes in complex and novel forms of 3D printing. His team’s signature development is a technology called melt electrowriting, which allows relatively large objects to be 3D printed at very high resolution. Using that technology, the team printed mesh scaffolds that can be used for different types of biomedical implants.


Melt electrowriting is a new 3D printing technology developed by Dalton. Credit: University of Oregon
Such implants could potentially be used in a variety of applications, including new wound-healing techniques and artificial blood vessels and structures to aid nerve regeneration. In a recent project, the lab collaborated with cosmetics company L’Oréal to create realistic multilayered artificial skin using scaffolds.
Jasti’s lab, on the other hand, is known for its work on nanohoops, ring-shaped carbon-based molecules that have a variety of interesting properties and are tunable based on the precise size and structure of the ring-shaped hoop. Nanohoops fluoresce brightly when exposed to UV light and emit different colors depending on their size and structure.
Had it not been for a casual conversation when Dalton was a new professor at UO, both labs might have remained in their own leagues. I was eager to make connections and meet other faculty. He and Justi explored the idea of ​​incorporating nanohoops into 3D scaffolds, which Dalton was already working on. This makes the structure illuminated, a useful feature that makes it easier to track its fate in the body and distinguish it from its surrounding environment.
“I thought it probably wasn’t going to work,” Justi said. But it happened very quickly.
Dalton said people have tried to light up scaffolding in the past with little success. Most fluorescent molecules break down when exposed to the heat required for his 3D printing technology for long periods of time. Jasti lab’s nanohoops are more stable under high temperatures.


Nanohoops glow under ultraviolet light. Credit: University of Oregon
Both groups may make their craft look easy, but “making nanohoops is really hard and doing fused electrolighting is really hard, so these are two very complex and different fields. “The fact that we were able to integrate this into something really simple is incredible,” said Harrison Reed, a graduate student in Justy’s lab.
Researchers have discovered that by incorporating small amounts of fluorescent nanohoops into a 3D printing material mixture, they can create long-lasting light-emitting structures. The fluorescence is activated by ultraviolet light, so the scaffold appears transparent even under normal conditions.
Patrick Hall, a graduate student in Dalton’s lab, said the initial concept worked very quickly, but it took several more years of testing to thoroughly examine the material and assess its potential. .
For example, Hall and Dalton ran a series of tests to ensure that the addition of nanohoops did not affect the strength or stability of the 3D printed material. They also confirmed that the material obtained by adding fluorescent molecules did not become toxic to cells. This is important for biomedical applications and is an important baseline that must be met before approaching human application.
The team envisions a variety of uses for the glowing materials they created. While Dalton is particularly interested in the biomedical potential, Justi said customizable materials that emit light under ultraviolet light could also have applications in security applications.


Close-up view of a scaffold made of nanohoops. Glows blue under UV light. Credit: University of Oregon
They have applied for a patent on this advancement and hope to eventually commercialize it. And Justy and Dalton are grateful for the serendipity that brought them together.
“Bringing together people who don’t normally discuss their science provides a great new direction,” Dalton said.
Further information: Patrick C. Hall et al, (n)Cycloparaphenylenes as Compatibility Fluorophores for Melt Electrowriting, Small (2024). DOI: 10.1002/smll.202400882
Magazine information: small
Provided by University of Oregon
Citation: Bioengineers and chemists design fluorescent 3D printed structures with potential medical applications (September 27, 2024) https://phys.org/news/2024-09-bioengineers-chemists-fluorescent Retrieved September 27, 2024 from -3d-potential. html
This document is subject to copyright. No part may be reproduced without written permission, except in fair dealing for personal study or research purposes. Content is provided for informational purposes only.