Nano-Micro Letters, Volume. 17, Issue 1, 027(2025)

3D Printing of Tough Hydrogel Scaffolds with Functional Surface Structures for Tissue Regeneration

Ke Yao1、†, Gaoying Hong4、†, Ximin Yuan5, Weicheng Kong1, Pengcheng Xia6, Yuanrong Li1, Yuewei Chen1, Nian Liu1, Jing He1, Jue Shi4, Zihe Hu4, Yanyan Zhou4, Zhijian Xie4、*, and Yong He1,2,3、**
Author Affiliations
  • 1State Key Laboratory of Fluid Power and Mechatronic Systems, School of Mechanical Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, People’s Republic of China
  • 2Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, People’s Republic of China
  • 3Key Laboratory of 3D Printing Process and Equipment of Zhejiang Province, College of Mechanical Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, People’s Republic of China
  • 4Stomatology Hospital, School of Stomatology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310027, People’s Republic of China
  • 5State Key Laboratory of Advanced Welding and Joining, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, People’s Republic of China
  • 6Institute of Digital Medicine, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210006, People’s Republic of China
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    Hydrogel scaffolds have numerous potential applications in the tissue engineering field. However, tough hydrogel scaffolds implanted in vivo are seldom reported because it is difficult to balance biocompatibility and high mechanical properties. Inspired by Chinese ramen, we propose a universal fabricating method (printing-P, training-T, cross-linking-C, PTC & PCT) for tough hydrogel scaffolds to fill this gap. First, 3D printing fabricates a hydrogel scaffold with desired structures (P). Then, the scaffold could have extraordinarily high mechanical properties and functional surface structure by cycle mechanical training with salting-out assistance (T). Finally, the training results are fixed by photo-cross-linking processing (C). The tough gelatin hydrogel scaffolds exhibit excellent tensile strength of 6.66 MPa (622-fold untreated) and have excellent biocompatibility. Furthermore, this scaffold possesses functional surface structures from nanometer to micron to millimeter, which can efficiently induce directional cell growth. Interestingly, this strategy can produce bionic human tissue with mechanical properties of 10 kPa-10 MPa by changing the type of salt, and many hydrogels, such as gelatin and silk, could be improved with PTC or PCT strategies. Animal experiments show that this scaffold can effectively promote the new generation of muscle fibers, blood vessels, and nerves within 4 weeks, prompting the rapid regeneration of large-volume muscle loss injuries.

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    Ke Yao, Gaoying Hong, Ximin Yuan, Weicheng Kong, Pengcheng Xia, Yuanrong Li, Yuewei Chen, Nian Liu, Jing He, Jue Shi, Zihe Hu, Yanyan Zhou, Zhijian Xie, Yong He. 3D Printing of Tough Hydrogel Scaffolds with Functional Surface Structures for Tissue Regeneration[J]. Nano-Micro Letters, 2025, 17(1): 027

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    Paper Information

    Category: Research Articles

    Received: Jun. 5, 2024

    Accepted: Sep. 1, 2024

    Published Online: Feb. 12, 2025

    The Author Email: Xie Zhijian (xzj66@zju.edu.cn), He Yong (yongqin@zju.edu.cn)

    DOI:10.1007/s40820-024-01524-z

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