Fabrication of Aligned Biomimetic Gellan Gum-Chitosan Microstructures through 3D Printed Microfluidic Channels and Multiple In Situ Cross-Linking Mechanisms

Authors

Thomas Robinson, University of WollongongFollow
Sepehr Talebian, University of WollongongFollow
Javad Foroughi, University of WollongongFollow
Zhilian Yue, University of WollongongFollow
Cormac Fay, University of WollongongFollow
Gordon G. Wallace, University of WollongongFollow

RIS ID

143289

Publication Details

Robinson, T. M., Talebian, S., Foroughi, J., Yue, Z., Fay, C. D. & Wallace, G. G. (2020). Fabrication of Aligned Biomimetic Gellan Gum-Chitosan Microstructures through 3D Printed Microfluidic Channels and Multiple In Situ Cross-Linking Mechanisms. ACS Biomaterials Science and Engineering, Online First A-K.

Abstract

In this study we use a combination of ionic- and photo-cross-linking to develop a fabrication method for producing biocompatible microstructures using a methacrylated gellan gum (a polyanion) and chitosan (a polycation) in addition to lithium phenyl-2,4,6-trimethylbenzoylphosphinate (LAP) as the photoinitiator. This work involves the development of a low-cost, portable 3D bioprinter and a customized extrusion mechanism for controlled introduction of the materials through a 3D printed microfluidic nozzle, before being cross-linked in situ to form robust microstructure bundles. The formed microstructures yielded a diameter of less than 1 μm and a tensile strength range of ∼1 MPa. This study is the first to explore and achieve GGMA:CHT microstructure fabrication by means of controlled in-line compaction and photo-cross-linking through 3D printed microfluidic channels.

Grant Number

ARC/CE140100012