3D Printed Citrate-Based Scaffolds Using Additive to Improve Printability
AssigneeAcuitive Technologies, Inc.
InventorsMinh-Tuan Richard Tran, Andrew House
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Abstract
A citrate composition is provided for use in 3D printing of end products, e.g., scaffolds. The disclosed composition incorporates water soluble salts and/or sugars into a pre-polymer to improve the viscosity for 3D printing, increase the porosity of the resulting scaffold, and improve the handling of the citrate based bioceramic compositions.
Claims28
A composition comprising (a) a citrate component, (b) a multifunctional alcohol component, and (c) a thickening agent.
A method for preparing a composition, the method comprising:
- a) reacting a citrate component and a multifunctional alcohol component to form a polymer;
- b) adding a temporary solvent selected from either dioxane, tetrahydrofuran, ethanol, or dimethylformamide to the polymer where the solvent constitutes <60.0 wt. % based on the weight of the total composition;
- c) optionally adding an inorganic particulate material;
- d) adding a thickening agent and mixing of the solution to fully homogenize the mixture;
- and
- e) evaporating excess solvent until a desired solvent concentration is reached.
A method for forming a three-dimensional biodegradable scaffold, the method comprising:
- a) preparing a printable composition comprising a citrate component, a multifunctional alcohol component, optionally an inorganic particulate material, a thickening agent, and a temporary solvent;
- b) printing the composition to form an object representing a three-dimensional scaffold;
- c) selectively curing the printable composition to form an object defining a three-dimensional scaffold;
- d) removing a portion of the temporary solvent from the scaffold;
- e) optionally removing the thickening agent through a leaching process;
- and
- f) optionally curing any unpolymerized polymerizable component remaining before or after step c).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.