# US 12,007,687 B2 · Microfluidics-enabled multimaterial stereolithographic printing

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- Number: US 12,007,687 B2
- Document ID: US12007687B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/324,452
- Filed: 2023-05-26
- Published: 2023-11-09
- Granted: 2024-06-11
- Earliest claimed: 2018-10-23
- Assignees: The Brigham and Women's Hospital, Inc.
- Applicants: The Brigham and Women's Hospital, Inc.; President and Fellows of Harvard College
- Inventors: Yu Shrike Zhang; Ali Khademhosseini
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12007687B2

## CPC

- B01L 3/502707: {characterised by the manufacture of the container or its components}
- G03F 7/001: {Phase modulating patterns, e.g. refractive index patterns}
- B22F 10/00: Additive manufacturing of workpieces or articles from metallic powder (apparatus or devices therefor B22F12/00)
- B22F 10/85: for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes
- B22F 12/00: Apparatus or devices specially adapted for additive manufacturing; Auxiliary means for additive manufacturing; Combinations of additive manufacturing apparatus or devices with other processing apparatus or devices
- B22F 12/82: Combination of additive manufacturing apparatus or devices with other processing apparatus or devices
- B29C 64/00: Additive manufacturing, i.e. manufacturing of three-dimensional [3D] objects by additive deposition, additive agglomeration or additive layering, e.g. by 3D printing, stereolithography or selective laser sintering
- B29C 64/10: Processes of additive manufacturing
- B29C 64/106: using only liquids or viscous materials, e.g. depositing a continuous bead of viscous material
- B29C 64/124: using layers of liquid which are selectively solidified
- B29C 64/176: Sequentially
- B29C 64/182: in parallel batches
- B29C 64/20: Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor
- B29C 64/205: Means for applying layers
- B29C 64/227: Driving means
- B29C 64/245: Platforms or substrates (support structures intended to be sacrificed after manufacture B29C64/40)
- B29C 64/25: Housings, e.g. machine housings
- B29C 64/255: Enclosures for the building material, e.g. powder containers
- B29C 64/30: Auxiliary operations or equipment
- B29C 64/307: Handling of material to be used in additive manufacturing
- B29C 64/386: Data acquisition or data processing for additive manufacturing
- B29C 64/393: for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes
- B29C 64/40: Structures for supporting 3D objects during manufacture and intended to be sacrificed after completion thereof
- B33Y 10/00: Processes of additive manufacturing
- B33Y 30/00: Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor
- B33Y 40/00: Auxiliary operations or equipment, e.g. for material handling
- B33Y 40/10: Pre-treatment
- B33Y 40/20: Post-treatment, e.g. curing, coating or polishing
- B33Y 50/00: Data acquisition or data processing for additive manufacturing
- B33Y 50/02: for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes
- B33Y 70/00: Materials specially adapted for additive manufacturing
- B33Y 80/00: Products made by additive manufacturing
- B33Y 99/00: Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
- G03F 7/00: Photomechanical, e.g. photolithographic, production of textured or patterned surfaces, e.g. printing surfaces; Materials therefor, e.g. comprising photoresists; Apparatus specially adapted therefor (using photoresist structures for special production processes, see the relevant places, e.g. B44C, H10P76/00, H05K)
- B01L 2200/16: Reagents, handling or storing thereof
- B01L 2300/0816: Cards, e.g. flat sample carriers usually with flow in two horizontal directions
- B01L 2300/16: Surface properties and coatings
- B01L 2300/163: Biocompatibility
- B01L 2400/0487: fluid pressure, pneumatics
- B01L 2400/0655: pinch valves
- B01L: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE
- G03F: PHOTOMECHANICAL PRODUCTION OF TEXTURED OR PATTERNED SURFACES, e.g. FOR PRINTING, FOR PROCESSING OF SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; MATERIALS THEREFOR; ORIGINALS THEREFOR; APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED THEREFOR; (phototypographic composing devices B41B; photosensitive materials or processes for photographic purposes G03C; electrophotography, sensitive layers or processes therefor G03G)
- B22F: WORKING METALLIC POWDER; MANUFACTURE OF ARTICLES FROM METALLIC POWDER; MAKING METALLIC POWDER (making alloys by powder metallurgy C22C); APPARATUS OR DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR METALLIC POWDER
- B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00)
- B33Y: ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING, i.e. MANUFACTURING OF THREE-DIMENSIONAL [3D] OBJECTS BY ADDITIVE DEPOSITION, ADDITIVE AGGLOMERATION OR ADDITIVE LAYERING, e.g. BY 3D PRINTING, STEREOLITHOGRAPHY OR SELECTIVE LASER SINTERING

## Abstract

Described are systems and methods for multi-material printing. The systems and methods can utilize a stereolithographic printing device, a moving stage, and a microfluidic device. The microfluidic device can include a plurality of reservoirs, each reservoir housing a different ink for printing, and a microfluidic chip. The microfluidic chip can include a chamber that comprises a plurality of inlets, a printing region, and one or more outlets as well as an elastic membrane.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of printing a multi-material 3D construct comprising:
providing a plurality of inks;
releasing at least one first ink into a microfluidic chip wherein the microfluidic chip comprises (i) a chamber, wherein the chamber further comprises a printing region for holding the ink to be printed; (ii) a deposition layer, and (iii) an elastic membrane;
causing the elastic membrane to deform;
photocrosslinking the first ink in the printing region onto the deposition layer to form a first printed layer;
reducing the deformation of the elastic membrane;
washing the chamber; and
releasing at least one second ink into the microfluidic chip to produce a second printed layer.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the chamber is washed using the second ink.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the chamber is washed using a buffer.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein one of the first or second inks comprise a biologically active component, wherein the biological active component is selected from biomaterials, cells, growth factors, cytokines, anti-infection agents, adhesive molecules, and nanoparticles.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second inks comprise a biologically active component, wherein the biological active component is selected from biomaterials, cells, growth factors, cytokines, anti-infection agents, adhesive molecules, and nanoparticles.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein two first inks are released into the microfluidic chip.