Photoinitiator-free 3D scaffolds fabricated by excimer laser photocuring

Year: 2017

Authors: Farkas B., Dante S., Brandi F.

Autors Affiliation: IIT, Dept Nanophys, Via Morego 30, I-16163 Genoa, Italy; CNR, INO, Via Moruzzi 1, I-56124 Pisa, Italy.

Abstract: Photoinitiator-free fabrication of poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA) scaffolds is achieved using a novel three-dimensional (3D) printing method called mask projected excimer laser stereolithography (MPExSL). The spatial resolution of photoinitiator-free curing is suitable for 3D layer-by-layer fabrication with a single layer thickness well controllable at tens to hundreds of microns using 248 nm wavelength for the irradiation. The photoinitiator-free scaffolds are superior compared to their counterparts fabricated by using photoinitiator molecules, showing a higher level of biocompatibility. A release of toxic chemicals from the photoinitiator containing scaffolds is proven by cell proliferation tests. In contrast, no toxic release is found from the photoinitiator-free scaffolds, resulting in the very same level of cell proliferation as the control sample. The demonstration of photoinitiator-free PEGDA scaffolds enables the fabrication of 3D scaffolds with the highest level of biocompatibility for both in vitro and in vivo applications.

Journal/Review: NANOTECHNOLOGY

Volume: 28 (3)      Pages from: 034001-1  to: 034001-9

More Information: This work received funding support from the European Union (FP7-NMP-2013-EU-China), grant agreement no. 604263 (NEUROSCAFFOLDS).
KeyWords: photoinitiator-free, scaffolds, poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate, 3D printing, excimer laser, photocuring, stereolithography
DOI: 10.1088/1361-6528/28/3/034001

Citations: 20
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