基于挤出沉积技术的多喷头3D打印机研制

针对组织工程中多材质和梯度化生物制品的三维打印问题,对喷头温控功能、沉积工作台制冷功能、喷头切换方式、控制系统等方面进行了研究,提出了一种基于挤出沉积技术的多喷头生物3D打印机。使用半导体制冷片和聚酰亚胺加热膜对喷头进行了温控设计,设计了双向滚珠丝杆切换装置和外循环超低温沉积工作台结构,最后利用羧甲基纤维素钠水凝胶材料在研制完成的多喷头生物3D打印机上进行了多喷头打印测试。测试结果表明:多喷头生物3D打印机实现了多材料和梯度化复杂模型的多喷头三维打印,同时打印精度满足生物组织工程的需求,为实现高仿生三维结构的打印奠定了良好基础。     

海藻酸钠/明胶溶液3D低温沉积成形线材的尺寸精度

以海藻酸钠/明胶溶液为打印材料,采用3D低温沉积成形(LDM)技术在6℃成形环境下打印成线材,对比研究了挤出压力、溶液黏度和喷头速度对试验得到的和理论计算得到的挤出胀大率和挤出拉伸率的影响,确定了最佳打印参数,并探讨了在最佳打印参数下打印件的尺寸精度。结果表明:线材的挤出胀大率随溶液黏度的增加而减小,随挤出压力的增加而增大,挤出拉伸率随喷头速度的增加而增大;最佳打印参数为溶液黏度1.26Pa·s、挤出压力80kPa、喷头速度8mm·s-1,此时线材的成形效果较好,试验值和理论计算值的相对误差最小;在最佳打印参数下,基于挤出胀大率和挤出拉伸率的理论计算结果对打印件尺寸进行调整,调整后打印出的矩形件和空心圆环实际尺寸与设计尺寸的相对误差小于5%,打印精度较高。     

高孔隙率聚(乳酸—羟基乙酸)共聚物组织工程支架快速成形新工艺

提出一种新的快速成形(Rapid prototyping,RP)工艺方法,用于成形具有可设计的多级孔隙结构、贯通的大孔结构和高孔隙率的骨、软骨组织工程支架。它将基于离散/堆积原理的快速成形工艺与相分离、致孔剂浸出法两种传统工艺相结合,将致孔剂与高分子溶液混合制成悬液,由压力注射式喷头按照计算机设计的路径挤出至低温环境,冷冻固化、粘结成形并发生相分离,溶剂结晶被冷冻干燥去除后留下一级孔隙结构(10μm),致孔剂被去除后留下二级孔隙结构(10～100μm),按照RP所设计的路径可构建任意复杂外形和三级孔隙结构(100μm),且可以保证支架具有超过90%的孔隙率。此外,由于分散颗粒可以提高高分子溶液的粘度,解决连续挤出原理喷头无法成形具有高孔隙率的低分子量支架材料,降低材料对喷射/挤出手段的要求。此处将其用于成形要求降解速度快、孔隙率高的聚(乳酸-羟基乙酸)共聚物(Poly(Lactide-co-glycolide),PLGA)的软骨组织工程支架。     

GelMA复合凝胶的挤出式3D打印工艺及其性能研究

甲基丙烯酸酐明胶(Methacrylatedgelatin,Gel MA)是具有光敏官能团的改性明胶,有良好的生物相容性,广泛用于构建皮肤、神经等软组织支架。然而,光照交联单一成分的GelMA,其力学性能和结构维持性较差,难以通过挤出3D打印成形生物支架。提出一种适用于挤出式打印且力学性能增强的GelMA复合凝胶,其主要成分为GelMA、明胶和海藻酸钠。黏度测试试验筛选出适合挤出3D打印的复合材料配比,3D打印工艺试验研究和分析了打印气压、喷头移动速度、喷头高度、光照条件对挤出连续性和微丝直径的影响。当喷头内径为200μm时,GelMA复合凝胶实现顺畅出丝(φ293～1211μm)的条件为气压在0.05～0.25 MPa,打印速度为1～15 mm/s,喷头高度为200～600μm,光照强度为70～272.56 mW/cm~2。拉伸试验表明光照交联后,复合凝胶较之同浓度Gel MA(5%,w/v)的弹性模量提高近1倍,伸长率保持一致。细胞培养试验显示GelMA复合凝胶具有良好的生物相容性,包埋在其内部的人真皮成纤维细胞培养至第7天时存活率达85%。     

基于MAM和PAM的多喷头3D打印系统

针对生物组织工程中多组分生物模型的三维打印问题,对电机挤出沉积式喷头、气动式微滴喷射式喷头、多材质模型路径规划及多喷头协调控制等方面进行了研究,提出了基于MAM和PAM的多喷头3D打印系统及多喷头协调控制方法,优化了PAM打印系统以提高系统打印精度,并改进了路径规划方法从而满足了多材质模型打印;最后利用多材质模型的打印实验对该系统的可行性进行了测试。研究结果表明:多喷头3D打印系统实现了多喷头之间的协调控制,实现了多材质复杂模型的打印;同时MAM和PAM喷头打印精度均满足了生物组织工程的需求,为实现高仿生结构的打印奠定了良好的基础。     

骨组织工程支架的不同孔隙率对成形性能的影响分析

生物三维打印成形的支架孔隙率对引导骨组织的再生极其重要。首先对不同孔径大小的骨组织工程支架模型进行有限元分析。再利用易降解、生物相容性良好的聚乙烯醇(PVA)与羟基磷灰石(HA)混合材料制备出不同孔隙率的骨组织工程支架,对其宏观特征、微观结构和力学性能等重要参数进行对比,得出孔隙率约为60%的骨组织工程支架实际平均抗压强度为14.90 MPa,力学性能与生物相容性最佳,为提高成骨效率奠定实验研究基础。     

组织工程骨支架微宏观模拟分析

应用沉积挤出快速成型技术制备组织工程骨支架过程中,复合生物材料之间相互作用的稳定性、喷头装置中复合凝胶的流动状态及制备工艺参数影响组织工程骨支架成型及成型后骨支架力学性能和孔隙结构。针对以上问题,应用分子动力学模拟软件Materials studio中经典力学工具Forcite对羟基磷灰石(HA)/聚乙烯醇(PVA)/丝素蛋白(SF)共混体系进行模拟,分析羟基磷灰石与生物复合凝胶聚乙烯醇/丝素蛋白相互作用后稳定性。结合三者混合材料特性,通过有限元模拟软件FLUENT分析复合生物材料的流动状态,依据流体分析结果,调整制备骨支架工艺参数。模拟结果表明,HA/PVA/SF三者混合材料具有良好粘结性及力学性能;有限元模拟计算出高粘度材料制备过程中流体状态分布。通过实验,结合流体分布状态,调整最佳制备参数,制备的骨支架具有良好的力学性能,混合生物材料成分基本未发生变化,表面微观孔隙能够达到生物因子驻留和营养物质交换的要求。     

微流挤出成形工艺挤出胀大机理研究

微流挤出成形是陶瓷快速成形领域的一种新兴工艺,由微流挤出成形工艺和3D打印技术结合形成的陶瓷浆料3D打印,具有陶瓷成形过程简单,成本低的优势。在陶瓷浆料3D打印中,陶瓷浆料挤出过程存在挤出胀大现象,导致挤出丝的形状发生改变,降低了陶瓷产品的成形精度。通过ANSYS软件对不同流道结构下陶瓷浆料挤出过程进行模拟分析,对不同流道下陶瓷浆料挤出胀大情况进行对比,并对挤出压力和挤出口挤出速率进行模拟计算。结果表明：影响陶瓷浆料挤出胀大的因素有陶瓷浆料在流道截面变化处的弹性效应以及在挤出头内的弹性回复,最后进行陶瓷浆料挤出实验对仿真结果进行验证。     

面向3D打印复合工艺的生物CAD/CAM系统及试验研究

3D打印复合成形工艺将3D打印技术与静电纺丝技术相结合,在构建具有多尺度多梯度结构特征的,生物硬组织修复用再生支架方面表现出独特优势。提出一种针对3D打印复合成形工艺的生物CAD/CAM系统构建方法,不仅能实现成形过程的自动监控,保证多工艺的柔性复合,而且能实现从STL模型,到生成加工路径信息,并最终驱动系统硬件进行加工的自动化处理流程。该系统及方法将生物建模软件与生物3D打印复合成形系统有效集成,将CAD过程中无法建模的尺度信息与来自CAD的加工信息有机结合并处理,有效解决了3D打印成形再生支架时,精度受限而无法在支架内部成形微观尺度结构的问题。最后,通过骨组织工程支架的制备试验验证了系统的有效性。     

三维打印聚乳酸基石墨烯复合材料生物支架的工艺与性能研究

概述了生物支架的特征,通过试验分析了不同三维打印参数对聚乳酸基石墨烯复合材料生物支架的工艺与性能影响,确认在喷头直径0.2 mm、打印温度230℃、打印速度40 mm/s的条件下,所打印出的生物支架质量较为理想。     

仿生骨支架微观孔结构的构建与评价

在分析人体骨微观孔结构和影响支架性能因素的基础上,提出仿生骨支架微观孔结构的构建与评价方法。基于多约束背包问题模型的结构,以椭球体作为构建微观孔结构负模型的单元体,利用混合遗传算法求解微观孔结构的负模型;并将孔隙率和连通性作为约束条件,以保证仿生骨支架具有生物活性。通过不含微观孔的支架模型与负模型之间的布尔运算,构建含有微观孔结构的仿生骨支架模型。以支架的孔隙率、孔间的连通性、孔分布的均匀性、孔道的扭曲度和支架的比表面积作为评价指标,建立仿生骨支架微观孔结构的评价体系。基于支架微观孔结构的负模型,提出支架的孔隙率、连通性、均匀性、扭曲度和比表面积的计算方法,以实现对仿生骨支架微观孔结构的评价与优化。通过上述方法构建的仿生骨支架具有良好的生物活性、较好的力学性能以及均衡的降解速度。     

Fabrication of porous beta-tricalcium phosphate with microchannel and customized geometry based on gel-casting and rapid prototyping

The tissue engineering scaffolds with three-dimensional porous structure are regarded to be beneficial to facilitate a sufficient supply of nutrients and enable cell ingrowth in bone reconstruction. However, the pores in scaffolds tend to be blocked by the cell ingrowth and result in a restraint of nutrient supply in the further side of the scaffold. An indirect approach of combining the rapid prototyping and gel-casting technique is introduced in this study to fabricate beta-tricalcium phosphate (beta-TCP) scaffolds which not only have interconnected porous structure, but also have a microchannel network inside. The scaffold was designed with customized geometry that matches the defect area, and a double-scale (micropores-microchannel) porous structure inside that is beneficial for cell ingrowth. The scaffolds fabricated have an open, uniform, and interconnected porous architecture with a pore size of 200-400 microm, and posses an internal channel network with a diameter of 600 microm. The porosity was controllable. The compressive yield strength was 4.5 MPa with a porosity of 70 per cent. X-ray diffraction analysis shows that these fabrication processes do not change the crystal structure and chemical composition of beta-TCP. With this technique, it was also possible to fabricate porous scaffolds with desired pore size, porosity, and microchannel, as well as customized geometries by other bioceramics.     

渗流铸造多孔泡沫铅电极的性能测试分析

对用渗流铸造法制备的多孔泡沫铅电极性能进行了研究。给出了可充分反映其内部三维网络骨架结构的形貌，定量测试了多孔泡沫铅电极的孔隙率、孔径、密度、抗压强度以及充放电后的成分，分析了电极孔径大小和表面化学处理对放电性能的影响，为研究高比能长寿命轻量电极材料提供了依据。     

仿生多材料复合增强骨软骨支架的制造及性能研究

针对关节面上大面积骨软骨缺损修复过程中软骨形态恢复和力学环境恢复困难的问题,设计并制造一种新型聚乙二醇(Polyethylene glycol, PEG)/ 聚乳酸(Polylactide, PLA)/ β-磷酸三钙(β-Tricalcium phosphate, β-TCP)仿生多材料复合增强骨软骨支架。基于CT扫描数据重建的羊膝关节模型上进行仿生多材料骨软骨支架的结构设计,包括多孔定制结构和固定桩及仿生结构;以光固化成形技术与真空灌注工艺相结合制造了的多材料复合增强骨软骨支架,确定灌注温度220℃,真空度–0.08～–0.10 Pa。形貌观测表明真空灌注法能使PLA完全充满整个次级管道,力学试验发现复合材料支架的压缩强度(21.25 MPa ± 1.15 MPa)是单管道多孔生物陶瓷支架(9.76 MPa± 0.64 MPa)的2.17倍, PLA固定桩的剪切强度(16.24 MPa±1.85 MPa)是陶瓷固定桩(0.87 MPa±0.14 MPa)的18.7倍。因此,复合PLA的骨软骨支架具有显著的力学增强和固定能力,有望为大面积骨软骨缺损的修复提供新的治疗手段。     

孔隙率可控的多孔羟基磷灰石生物陶瓷的制备

采用凝胶成型法制备用作骨移植和药物传递的多孔羟基磷灰石(HA)生物医用陶瓷,通过改变工艺参数制得了孔隙率和孔径可控、内部连通的三维网状开孔结构的HA,对其孔隙率、孔径及生物相容性进行了分析.结果表明:通过改变循环浸渍次数可以控制调节孔隙率在45%～92%之间;通过改变母体模板和浆料涂层的厚度可以控制孔径;制得的HA具有良好的生物相容性,具有这种特点的孔洞结构有利于骨细胞的生长.     

Structural evaluation of scaffolds prototypes produced by three-dimensional printing

The fabrication of porous scaffolds with complex architectures represents a challenge in tissue engineering. Recent studies have shown that it is possible to construct tissue-engineered bone repair scaffolds with tight pore size distributions and controlled geometries using 3D printing techniques. In this context, this work aims to evaluate the 3D printing process in order to study its potential for scaffold fabrication. Despite the wide use of porous scaffolds, its design, geometry optimization and mechanical assessment, for successful integration in tissue engineering, require further developments and studies to help in its optimal design. In the present work, cubical scaffolds prototypes with different architectures were produced by 3D printing technology. Scaffolds dimensional accuracy, porosity and mechanical stiffness were comprehensive analysed by means of an experimental investigation. The microporosity, inherent to the fabrication process, and the mechanical characterization of the bulk material were also considered. This paper addresses methodologies to overcome some limitations of 3D printing technique to produce scaffolds for tissue engineering and proposes procedures for their suitable mechanical characterization. Results of this work indicate that 3D printing process has great potential for scaffold fabrication.     

含油轴承模型的比较分析

通过对含油轴承的结构模型和理论模型的比较，介绍了含油轴承的结构模型发展状况，包括变渗透度模型、磁流体含油轴承、含油轴承材料技术等。同时对比研究了理论模型的特点，包括Darcy模型、Slip-How模型、Brinkman模型、Boltzmann模型、紊流模型，论述了影响含油轴承摩擦学性能的因素，包含热效应、粗糙度效应、非牛顿效应和回油循环效应等。并且提出了含油轴承的理论发展问题，包括温度问题、噪音问题、二相流问题、各种摩擦学影响因素的综合系统研究和含油轴承失效机理过程研究。     

Improvement of the representative volume element method for 3-D scaffold simulation

Predicting the mechanical properties of the 3-D scaffold using finite element method (FEM) simulation is important to the practical application of tissue engineering. However, the porous structure of the scaffold complicates computer simulations, and calculating scaffold models at the pore level is time-consuming. In some cases, the demands of the procedure are too high for a computer to run the standard code. To address this problem, the representative volume element (RVE) theory was introduced, but studies on RVE modeling applied to the 3-D scaffold model have not been focused. In this paper, we propose an improved FEM-based RVE modeling strategy to better predict the mechanical properties of the scaffold prior to fabrication. To improve the precision of RVE modeling, we evaluated various RVE models of newly designed 3-D scaffolds using FEM simulation. The scaffolds were then constructed using microstereolithography technology, and their mechanical properties were measured for comparison.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Development of a Tissue Engineering Scaffold Structure Library for Rapid Prototyping. Part 1: Investigation and Classification</Emphasis>

In tissue engineering (TE), a porous scaffold structure may be required as a template to guide the proliferation, growth and development of cells appropriately in three dimensions. Although TE scaffolds can be created using one of many conventional techniques available, most will suffer from a lack of mechanical strength and/or uniformity in pore distribution and sizes. This study is focused on creating scaffolds using rapid prototyping (RP) techniques. Utilising these novel techniques, a computer-aided design (CAD) of the scaffold structure must first be modelled. The scaffold structure is then fabricated directly from CAD data using a RP system. The objective of this research is to (1) investigate and select various polyhedral shapes suitable for scaffold modelling, (2) classify the selected unit cells, (3) create a parametric library of scaffold structures and (4) verify by building the CAD models using the selective laser sintering process. The first two objectives are covered in Part 1 of this two-part paper. The remaining objectives will be described and discussed in Part 2. ID="A1"Correspondance and offprint requests to: Dr C. K. Chua, School of Mechanical and Production Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore 639798. E-mail: mckchua@ntu.edu.sg     

Fabrication and in vivo evaluation of Ti6Al4V implants with controlled porous structure and complex shape

Electron beam melting process was used to fabricate porous Ti6Al4V implants. The porous structure and surface topography of the implants were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and digital microscopy (DM). The results showed that the pore size was around 600 and the porosity approximated to 57%. There was about±50 μm of undulation on implants surfaces. Standard implants and a custom implant coupled with porous sections were designed and fabricated to validate the versatility of the electron beam melting (EBM) technique. After coated with bone-like apatite, samples with fully porous structures were implanted into cranial defects in rabbits to investigate the in vivo performance. The animals were sacrificed at 8 and 12 weeks after implantation. Bone ingrowth into porous structure was examined by histological analysis. The histological sections indicated that a large amount of new bone formation was observed in porous structure. The newly formed bone grew from the calvarial margins toward the center of the bone defect and was in close contact with implant surfaces. The results of the study showed that the EBM produced Ti6Al4V implants with well-controlled porous structure, rough surface topography and bone-like apatite layer are beneficial for bone ingrowth and apposition.