If you’re a regular reader of our site, you probably know. building printingMars Colonization Project, or printing medical prostheses, 3D printing technology. We have also worked on the use of organisms such as spores to strengthen concrete. Today, the latest innovations aim to combine the versatility of: 3D printing It possesses the properties of living materials: self-healing, stimuli-responsive, autonomous, and self-replicating.Bacteria are chosen this time bioprinting material.
One of the latest issues of the Science Advances journal is bio ink technology Something that can be used with a 3D printer. The researchers named this FLINK (Functional Living Ink). It is based on a bacterial culture that is later mixed with the hydrogel. Professor André Studar, head of the Composites Laboratory at ETH Zurich, and his team used two different types of bacteria to explore some of the many applications this technology may offer in the near future. Proven.
the first one, Pseudomonas putida, can break down phenol, a toxic chemical used in the manufacture of nylon and other synthetic fibers. the second one, Acetobacter xylinum, which secretes high-quality nanocellulose. Because the material can relieve pain and retain moisture, it could be used to develop contoured films to cover burns or to create organ pouches to prevent transplant rejection.
the key to bioprinting process The key is to have enough viscosity to push through the pressure nozzle to achieve the right viscosity and consistency to allow printing and the best media for bacterial colony development. The hydrogel itself is composed of hyaluronic acid, long-chain sugar molecules, and pyrogenic silica. One of the advantages he has of the technology devised by Stuart and his team is that it can combine up to four different bacteria, which opens the door to multifunctional inks.
bioprint sensor
The ETH researchers anticipate numerous uses, one of which is the development of microfilms that can detect toxins in water and can be used to line containers that store drinking water. there is a possibility. Research on bio-ink as a high-tech sensor, MIT lab In the United States. Their design, published in the Advanced Materials scientific journal, utilizes bacteria genetically engineered to fluoresce in the presence of specific stimuli.
in them bioprinting This experiment was also based on a bacterial culture mixed with a hydrogel, this time composed of pluronic acid, in the form of a tree with different branches, each branch containing a bacterium that reacts to a specific compound. printed a tattoo of They then applied several chemicals to human skin and covered the surface with a printed layer that was cured with UV light. As they expected, different parts of the tree glowed in response to each chemical.
These “tattoos” could technically be used to detect biomarkers about swollen tissue or be implanted in wearable devices such as smart clothing. In the distant future, one of the most amazing applications will be the creation of “living” computers with chips made of cells that respond to various stimuli.