New 3D Printing Method 'CLEAR' for Creating Advanced Biomaterials

TapTechNews August 4th news, researchers from the University of Colorado Boulder and the University of Pennsylvania have collaborated to develop a new 3D printing method named CLEAR, which is expected to create materials that can repair damaged hearts and other body parts like band-aids.

This new material has extremely strong flexibility and toughness, can adapt to the continuous beating of the heart and the pressure of joints, and can also be customized according to the specific situation of the patient. The research team hopes that this technology will give rise to advanced biomaterials such as drug-injected cardiac band-aids, cartilage patches, and needle-free sutures.

According to TapTechNews, although the hydrogel materials of traditional 3D printing can be used to manufacture artificial tissues, they often lack the required strength and flexibility. And the new method, by simulating the complex entanglement structure of worms, successfully created a flexible substance with strength far exceeding that of traditional materials. These materials can not only withstand stretching and heavy pressure, but also adhere to animal tissues and organs. The researchers proved the excellent performance of the new material through strict tensile and load-bearing tests, including a rather peculiar bicycle rolling test.

It is worth noting that this new method also has environmental protection advantages because it eliminates the energy-intensive hardening stage usually required in 3D printing.

The research team said that in the future, this 3D printing material can be used to repair heart defects, directly deliver tissue repair drugs to organs, stabilize herniated discs, and perform seamless surgical closures. Currently, they have applied for a preliminary patent and plan to further study the reaction of the material to tissues.

This breakthrough research was published in the journal Science.