Guo Ruhan, Tang Wencheng
School of Mechanical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, China.
Micromachines (Basel). 2024 Jul 24;15(8):943. doi: 10.3390/mi15080943.
This study addresses critical challenges in the field of tissue engineering, specifically in the optimization of bioprinting technologies for the construction of complex, multicellular tissues. By utilizing a homemade piston-driven extrusion-based bioprinting (EBB) printhead, we performed detailed thermal and flow analyses to investigate the effects of temperature variations on the extrusion process of temperature-sensitive gelatin-alginate bioink. Through finite element method (FEM) simulations, we explored the temperature distribution within the printhead and its impact on bioink properties, such as viscosity, pressure, and shear stress. Key findings reveal significant temperature gradients from the printhead barrel to the nozzle tip, influencing bioink extrusion and filament morphology. This study further introduces an innovative hardware optimization with thermal insulators, designed to mitigate heat loss at the nozzle tip and ensure uniform temperature distribution. Both simulation and empirical printing experiments confirm the efficacy of thermal insulators in enhancing bioprinting fidelity and efficiency. This research contributes to the advancement of bioprinting technology by optimizing printhead design, with implications for improving the quality of bioprinted tissues and organs.
本研究解决了组织工程领域的关键挑战，特别是在优化用于构建复杂多细胞组织的生物打印技术方面。通过使用自制的基于活塞驱动挤出的生物打印（EBB）喷头，我们进行了详细的热分析和流动分析，以研究温度变化对温度敏感的明胶-藻酸盐生物墨水挤出过程的影响。通过有限元方法（FEM）模拟，我们探索了喷头内的温度分布及其对生物墨水特性（如粘度、压力和剪切应力）的影响。关键发现表明，从喷头筒到喷嘴尖端存在显著的温度梯度，这会影响生物墨水的挤出和细丝形态。本研究进一步引入了一种采用热绝缘体的创新硬件优化方法，旨在减少喷嘴尖端的热损失并确保温度均匀分布。模拟和实际打印实验均证实了热绝缘体在提高生物打印保真度和效率方面的有效性。这项研究通过优化喷头设计推动了生物打印技术的进步，对提高生物打印组织和器官的质量具有重要意义。
