System for additive manufacturing of three-dimensional structures and method for same

A system for additive manufacturing of three-dimensional structures, the system comprising:

• at least one print head for receiving and dispensing materials, the materials comprising a first material and a second material, the print head comprising:
• an orifice for dispensing the materials;
• and
• microfluidic channels for receiving and directing the materials to the orifice;
• a receiving surface for receiving the materials dispensed from the orifice;
• a fluid removal feature for removing excess first material dispensed from the orifice;
• a positioning unit for positioning the orifice of the print head in three dimensional space, the positioning unit operably coupled to the print head;
• and
• a dispensing means for dispensing the materials from the orifice of the print head.

A method of printing a three-dimensional (3D) structure, the method comprising:

• providing a 3D printer, the printer comprising:
• at least one print head comprising an orifice for dispensing materials, the materials to be dispensed comprising a sheath fluid and one or more hydrogels;
• a receiving surface for receiving a first layer of the materials dispensed from the orifice of the print head;
• a fluid removal feature for removing excess sheath fluid dispensed from the orifice, and
• a positioning unit operably coupled to the print head, the positioning unit for positioning the print head in three dimensional space;
• providing the materials to be dispensed,
• encoding the printer with a 3D structure to be printed;
• dispensing from the print head orifice the materials to be dispensed, wherein the sheath fluid and the hydrogel are dispensed in a coaxial arrangement, and wherein the sheath fluid envelops the hydrogel;
• depositing a first layer of the dispensed materials on the receiving surface;
• repeating the depositing step by depositing subsequent dispensed material on the first and any subsequent layers of deposited material, thereby depositing layer upon layer of dispensed materials in a geometric arrangement according to the 3D structure;
• and
• removing excess sheath fluid dispensed by the print head orifice at one or more time points during or between depositing steps.