Direct-write 3D printing of hydrogel materials has gained increased attention for a broad range of biomedical and biotechnological applications. Current platforms most commonly utilize naturally derived biopolymers which may limit control over the chemical functionality and mechanical properties of the printed hydrogels. Herein, we present synthetic hydrogels that are designed for direct-write 3D printing. Triple stimuli-responsive ABA triblock copolymer hydrogels were synthesized using controlled ring-opening polymerization of allyl glycidyl ether and alkyl glycidyl ether from a poly(ethylene glycol) core. These polymers form triple stimuli-responsive hydrogels that respond to temperature, pressure (shear-thinning), and UV light. The stimuli-responsive behaviors of the gels were dependent upon the composition and molecular weight of the ‘A’ blocks of the triblock copolymers. The hydrogels were analyzed rheometrically to characterize the stimuli-responsive properties. The optimized compositions were 3D printed using a direct-write 3D printer to afford robust 3D objects. We anticipate these materials creating new opportunites in the biomedical and biotechnological fields, by enabling the simple and rapid fabrication of 3D hydrogels.

Cross-linkable multi-stimuli-responsive hydrogel inks for direct-write 3D printing

255th National Meeting (2018)

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