LAYERED MANUFACTURING UTILIZING FOAM AS A SUPPORT AND MULTIFUNCTIONAL MATERIAL FOR THE CREATION OF PARTS AND FOR TISSUE ENGINEERING

• US 20140335141A1
• Filed: 07/21/2014
• Published: 11/13/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Drexel University
• Original Assignee: Drexel University
• Inventors: Sun, Wei, Nam, Jae Hyun
• Application Number:
  US14/336,690
• Publication Number:
  US 20140335141A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 424/422
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 27/56 Porous materials, e.g. foams or sponges
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 31/146 Porous materials, e.g. foams or sponges
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/106 using only liquids or viscous materials, e.g. depositing a continuous bead of viscous material
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/118 using filamentary material being melted, e.g. fused deposition modelling [FDM]
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/40 Structures for supporting 3D objects during manufacture and intended to be sacrificed after completion thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/7532 Artificial members, protheses
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/10 Methods of surface bonding and/or assembly therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249953 Composite having voids in a component [e.g., porous, cellular, etc.]

Abstract

One aspect of the invention provides a solid freeform fabrication method of creating a three-dimensional article built at least in part from scaffolding layers. The method includes: providing a scaffolding material; providing a supporting material in a shape of a foamy layer; and contacting the scaffolding material with the foamy layer to form at least one scaffolding layer and thereby creating the three dimensional article. Another aspect of the invention provides a three-dimensional article manufactured by using the methods described herein. Yet another embodiment provides a three-dimensional article including: a scaffolding material and a supporting material in a shape of a foamy layer coupled to the scaffolding material.

Claims

1. A solid freeform fabrication method of creating a three-dimensional article built at least in part from scaffolding layers, the method comprising:

providing a scaffolding material;

providing a supporting material in a shape of a foamy layer; and

contacting the scaffolding material with the foamy layer to form at least one scaffolding layer and thereby creating the three dimensional article.

2. A three-dimensional article manufactured by using the method of claim 1.

3. The three-dimensional article of claim 2, wherein the three dimensional article is an artificial tissue.

4. The three-dimensional article of claim 3, wherein the scaffolding material is a member selected from the group consisting of alginate, chitosan, collagen, fibrin, salts and derivatives thereof.

5. The three-dimensional article of claim 3, wherein the foaming agent is a member selected from the group consisting of anionic surfactants, cationic surfactants, amphoteric surfactants, non-ionic surfactants, hydrolyzed protein and fluorocarbon surfactants.

6. The three-dimensional article of claim 3, wherein the supporting material further comprises at least one of a crosslinking agent, a surface modifier, a sterilizing agent, and a biologically active agent.

7. The three-dimensional article of claim 3, wherein the biologically active agent is a member selected from the group consisting of cells, nucleic acids, proteins, and pharmacologically active agents.

8. A three-dimensional article comprising:

a scaffolding material; and

a supporting material in a shape of a foamy layer coupled to the scaffolding material.

9. The three-dimensional article of claim 8, wherein the scaffolding material is deposited on a top outer surface of the foamy layer, inside the foamy layer or both.

10. The three-dimensional article of claim 8, wherein the supporting material comprises a foaming agent.

11. The three-dimensional article of claim 8, wherein the supporting material comprises a foaming agent and a crosslinking agent.

12. The three-dimensional article of claim 11, wherein the foaming agent is a member selected from the group consisting of:

anionic surfactants, cationic surfactants, amphoteric surfactants, non-ionic surfactants, hydrolyzed protein, and fluorocarbon surfactants.

13. The three-dimensional article of claim 11, wherein the crosslinking agent is a member selected from the group consisting of:

calcium chloride, barium chloride, thrombin, sodium hydroxide, and glutaraldehyde.

14. The three-dimensional article of claim 8, wherein the scaffolding material is a member selected from the group consisting of:

alginate, chitosan, collagen, fibrin, salts, and derivatives thereof.

15. The three-dimensional article of claim 8, wherein the supporting material further comprises a biologically active agent.

16. The three-dimensional article of claim 15, wherein the biologically active agent is a member selected from the group consisting of:

cells, nucleic acids, proteins, and pharmacologically active agents.

17. The three-dimensional article of claim 8, wherein the supporting material further comprises at lease one of a surface modifier or a sterilizing agent.

18. The three-dimensional article of claim 8, wherein the supporting material is retained within the three-dimensional article.