Additive manufacturing is a bottom-up processing technology which enables the creation of 3D objects with freedom of design. Until now this technology has been limited to processing of metals and plastics and has not been used for lignocellulosic materials. By using a 3D bioprinter we have overcome the challenge of processing cellulose without degrading it by melting since we have used a dispersion of cellulose nanofibrils (CNF). The dispensing of CNF through the nozzle of a 3D bioprinter resembles the native process of the extrusion of cellulose chains by the cellulose synthase rosette in the plant cell wall. In nature the cellulose fibrils are coated with hemicelluloses and thereby physically and chemically crosslinked by lignin. Inspired by the bottom-up formation of the plant cell wall, we are 3D printing nanocellulose that is crosslinked by a model compound of the lignin carbohydrate complex; xylan- tyramine conjugate, which gels rapidly upon enzymatic crosslinking of the phenolic groups. QCM measurements confirm adsorption of the xylan-tyramine conjugates to cellulose nanofibrils while shear viscosity measurements and studies on printability indicate that an ink consisting of xylan-tyramine conjugate with cellulose nanofibrils can be 3D printed. We believe that the 3D printing technology will bring sustainable innovative products based on lignocellulosics to our future society.

3D printing – a disruptive technology for innovative products based on lignocellulosics

251st National Meeting (2016)

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