Carnegie Mellon University
3D-Printed Ice Structures Revolutionize Tissue Engineering
In a world-first feat, scientists at Carnegie Mellon University have developed a revolutionary method that utilizes 3D-printed ice structures to fabricate intricate channels within lab-grown organs. This pioneering approach holds immense promise for enhancing tissue engineering and biomedical research. Water, the most abundant substance on Earth, takes center stage in this groundbreaking endeavor. Through rapid phase transitions, water can transform into ice with remarkable ease, making it an ideal candidate for bioengineering applications.
As lead researcher Akash Garg explains, “It doesn’t get any more biocompatible than water.”The implications of this breakthrough extend far beyond the laboratory. With the ability to fabricate complex channels with unprecedented precision, tissue engineers can revolutionize organ transplantation, soft robotics, and microfluidics.
As Professor Burak Ozdoganlar notes, “This approach has enormous potential to revolutionize tissue engineering and other fields.”At the heart of this groundbreaking achievement lies interdisciplinary collaboration and ingenuity.
Researchers from various fields, including mechanical engineering, chemical engineering, and biomedical engineering, joined forces to tackle one of science’s most pressing challenges. Their collective efforts have paved the way for a future where lab-grown organs and soft robotic devices are not just a dream but a reality.
Unexpected bending challenges in 3D-Printed brain-computer interface devices
At Carnegie Mellon University, Professor Rahul Panat and his team led the research on the 3D printed Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) devices. Using custom micropillars to capture communication signals from neurons is an innovative approach. The bending of micropillars during the sintering process it is a common post-processing step to fuse particles to achieve a solid and functional component.
The research team explores a few potential solutions; Material selection for stiffness, thermal expansion coefficient, and sintering behavior plays a crucial role in determining the structural integrity of the printed components; Process optimization for temperature, duration, or atmosphere could mitigate the bending issue; Support structures during the printing process could provide additional stability to the micropillars and prevent them from bending. These supports can be designed to be easily removable or sacrificial, allowing for their removal after printing; Design modification for reducing the micropillars’ aspect ratio (height-to-width ratio) or incorporating reinforcing features could enhance their mechanical stability.
Post-processing techniques for heat treatment or surface modification may offer a solution to strengthen the micropillars and prevent bending.
By Lynn Shea, Carnegie Mellon University Mechanical Engineering.
