Protein-Based Hydrogels for 3D Printing Biodegradable Parts
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current biopolymers used in vat photopolymerization lack biodegradability and mechanical strength, limiting their application in 3D printing for creating complex shapes and sustainable materials.
Innovation Solution
A multi-step additive manufacturing workflow involving methacrylated bovine serum albumin (MABSA) resins treated with tannic acid and thermal curing to enhance mechanical properties, enabling the creation of biodegradable and tough protein-based composite hydrogels and bioplastics that can be 3D printed and exhibit varied mechanical functionalities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If biopolymers are used for 3D printing via vat photopolymerization, then biodegradability is achieved, but mechanical strength and processability are poor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines biopolymer components (such as gelatin methacrylate and silk fibroin derivatives) with synthetic photopolymerizable monomers and oligomers to create composite resin formulations. This composite approach allows the material to exhibit both biodegradability from the biopolymer components and adequate mechanical strength and processability from the synthetic components, resolving the contradiction between these properties.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the chemical structure of biopolymer components through methacrylation and other derivatization reactions to introduce photopolymerizable functional groups. This parameter change enables the biopolymers to participate in photopolymerization networks, improving mechanical strength and processability while maintaining biodegradability through controlled degradation of the biopolymer segments.
2Strength
If protein concentration in resin is increased to improve mechanical properties, then mechanical strength improves, but resin viscosity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the molecular weight and architecture parameters of the polymer components in the resin formulation. By using lower molecular weight biopolymer derivatives and combining them with low-viscosity monomers and oligomers, the formulation achieves adequate mechanical strength without excessive viscosity, maintaining ease of manufacturing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates composite resin systems where biopolymer components are combined with synthetic monomers and oligomers in optimized ratios. This composite approach allows the biopolymer to contribute mechanical strength while the synthetic components maintain low viscosity and good flow characteristics, resolving the contradiction between strength and ease of manufacture.
3Reliability
If structural proteins like gelatin and silk fibroin are used for photocuring, then biodegradability is achieved, but resin viscosity substantially increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the molecular parameters of structural proteins through controlled degradation and derivatization to reduce their molecular weight and intrinsic viscosity. The methacrylation of gelatin and silk fibroin derivatives creates lower molecular weight components with photopolymerizable groups, maintaining biodegradability while reducing viscosity to acceptable levels for vat photopolymerization.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent formulates composite resins where modified structural protein derivatives are combined with low-viscosity synthetic monomers and oligomers. This composite approach allows the biodegradable protein components to be incorporated at effective concentrations without excessively increasing overall resin viscosity, maintaining ease of manufacture.
4Ease of manufacture
If higher polymer concentration is used to reduce resin viscosity, then viscosity decreases, but mechanical performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates composite resin formulations where biopolymer components are combined with synthetic monomers and oligomers in optimized ratios. This composite approach allows the system to achieve low viscosity through the synthetic components while the biopolymer segments contribute to mechanical performance through their incorporation into the photopolymerized network structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes the molecular weight and functional group content of the biopolymer derivatives to achieve the right balance between viscosity and mechanical performance. By controlling the degree of methacrylation and molecular weight of biopolymer components, the formulation achieves low viscosity for easy processing while maintaining adequate mechanical performance through the crosslinked network structure.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The resulting materials demonstrate improved mechanical strength, toughness, and biodegradability, allowing for the production of functional items like 3D printed screws and suturable substrates that maintain performance even after water immersion, with up to 85% enzymatic degradation in 30 days.
Implementation Method 1
generating a hydrogel by exposing the resin to light, thereby polymerizing the MABSA and the co-monomer
Implementation Method 2
the materials were treated with tannic acid (TA) to introduce additional noncovalent interactions within the network to improve mechanical properties
Implementation Method 3
a denaturing 120° C. thermal cure served to further enhance mechanical properties via formation of intermolecular β-sheets and other noncovalent interactions
Implementation Method 4
3D printed hydrogels enzymatically degraded up to 85% after 30 days in pepsin solution
Data Source
AI summary
Hydrogels, bioplastics, and techniques for generating the same are described herein. An example method includes generating a resin including a globular protein, a co-monomer, water, and a photoinitiator. A hydrogel is generated by exposing the resin to light, thereby polymerizing the globular protein and the co-monomer. Further, the example method includes dehydrating the hydrogel by removing at least a portion of the water; and rehydrating the hydrogel in the presence of a hydrogen bonding agent.