Browse Topic: Biomaterials

Items (66)

Bio-Ink for 3D Printing

TBMG-5218912/01/2024

Biomedical engineers have developed a “bio-ink” for 3D-printed materials that could serve as scaffolds for growing human tissues to repair or replace damaged ones in the body. Bioengineered tissues show promise in regenerative, precision, and personalized medicine; product development; and basic research, especially with the advent of 3D printing of biomaterials that could serve as scaffolds or temporary structures to grow tissues.

Using Wood Byproducts to Produce Sustainable Bioplastics

TBMG-3962308/01/2021

Efforts to shift from petrochemical plastics to renewable and biodegradable plastics have proven tricky — the production process can require toxic chemicals and is expensive, and the mechanical strength and water stability is often insufficient. Now, researchers have used wood byproducts to produce more durable and sustainable bioplastics.

3D Printing with Wood-Based Ink

TBMG-3847402/01/2021

The way in which wood grows is controlled by its genetic code, which gives it unique properties in terms of porosity, toughness, and torsional strength. But wood has limitations when it comes to processing. Unlike metals and plastics, it cannot be melted and easily reshaped, and instead must be sawed, planed, or curved. Processes that involve conversion — to make products such as paper, cards, and textiles — destroy the underlying ultrastructure, or architecture, of the wood cells.

3D Printed Bioink-Loaded Stents Treat Inflammation

TBMG-3832801/01/2021

Pohang University of Science and Technology Gyeongbuk, Korea

Design of New Piezoelectric Composites Using Nanocellulose

20AERP12_1012/01/2020

Using cellulose crystals as building blocks for the design and development of new low-density functional polymer composites. Air Force Research Laboratory, Arlington, Virginia This research project focused on cellulose crystals as building blocks for the design and development of new low-density functional polymer composites. Although the piezoelectricity of cellulose has been predicted from its noncentrosymmetric crystal structure, it has not been measured accurately, nor has cellulose been properly exploited as a piezoelectric material. If it is proven, it could enable novel low-density electroactive materials capable of surpassing the performance of the best synthetic piezoelectric polymer such as polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF). To fulfill this objective, a systematic study was required to judiciously manipulate dipoles of individual cellulose nanocrystals to produce polar ordering at the macroscale and accurately characterize the nano-to-mesoscale structural ordering and

Metal-Ion Breakthrough Leads to New Biomaterials

TBMG-3806211/01/2020

Engineers have developed a new framework that makes elastomer design a modular process, allowing for the mixing and matching of different metals with a single polymer. They incorporated copper into a vascular graft because of its role in inducing angiogenesis — the process by which new blood vessels grow from existing ones.

5 Ws of Algae-Based Flip-Flops

TBMG-3781010/01/2020

Flip-flops are one of the most popular sandals, with an estimated market size of $20 billion.

Ford envisions broad portfolio of renewable materials - including coffee

20AUTP10_1010/01/2020

A broad portfolio of renewable materials is available now that can help the automotive industry reduce its carbon footprint. Many of these new materials exceed the performance of traditional plastic composites, and more are constantly coming online. This was the message from Dr. Deborah Mielewski, senior technical leader of sustainable and advanced materials at Ford, during her recent “Greener materials for a greener world” virtual keynote at the 2020 SPE Automotive Composites Conference. According to Mielewski, Ford already has more than 10 renewable materials in production, including natural fiber reinforced composites such as wheat straw, rice hulls and tree-based cellulose fiber that exceed traditional-material performance. “Over the past five years, we have kicked off several new material investigations with cellulose nanofibers and materials from carbon dioxide,” Mielewski said, “and we are applying our knowledge in green materials to the exploding area of 3D printing.”

Seredynski, Paul

Smart Fabrics with Bioactive Inks Monitor the Body by Changing Color

TBMG-3762909/01/2020

Biomaterial-based inks have been developed that respond to chemicals released from the body (e.g. in sweat) by changing color. The inks can be screenprinted onto textiles such as clothes, shoes, or even face masks in complex patterns and at high resolution, providing a detailed map of human response or exposure. The technology could simultaneously detect and quantify a wide range of biological conditions, molecules, and possibly pathogens over the surface of the body using conventional garments and uniforms.

Biomaterial Shields Against Harmful Radiation

TBMG-3764009/01/2020

Researchers have synthesized a new form of melanin enriched with selenium. Called selenomelanin, the new biomaterial shows promise as a shield for human tissue against harmful radiation.

Magnetic Force Manages Pain

TBMG-3746408/01/2020

Mainstream modern medicine centers on using pharmaceuticals to make chemical or molecular changes inside the body to treat disease; however, recent breakthroughs in the control of forces at small scales have opened up a new treatment idea: using physical force to kickstart helpful changes inside cells. This idea is referred to as “mechanoceuticals.”

Synthetic Material Could Help Heal Injured Tendons and Ligaments

TBMG-3712006/01/2020

University of Sydney Sydney, Australia

Deformation Sensing in Soft Bio-Surrogate Materials

20AERP04_0804/01/2020

Accurate measurement of deformations occurring within or on soft materials has recently generated interest for its benefits to the fields of soft robotics and wearable biomedical sensors. Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC Deformation sensing in and on soft materials has garnered increased interest with the advancement of emerging technologies such as soft robotics, wearable computing, and biomedical applications. These applications have a need for quantification of stretching-contraction deformations along a single-axis as well as multi-directional deformation quantifications (i.e. bending, pressure, membrane stretch, planar and torsional shear). These measurement devices must conform to the movements of the device or component under test, which can be complex, involving multiple degrees-of-freedom and dynamic rates, while closely matching the mechanical properties of the system they are embedded in, such as skin, tissue, textiles, and soft actuators. For example, soft

Q&A: Solid Silk - A Biocompatible, Sustainable, Degradable Building Block

TBMG-3617503/01/2020

David Kaplan, Stern Family Professor of Engineering at Tufts University’s College of Engineering, and his team have developed a unique and practical method for processing silk into solid form for products such as rods and plates for medical implants.

Precision 3D Bioprinter

TBMG-3605702/01/2020

nScrypt Inc. Orlando, FL 407-275-4720

Implants: Protective Membrane Reduces Tissue Buildup

TBMG-3577501/01/2020

Scientists have developed a special protective membrane made of cellulose that significantly reduces the buildup of fibrotic tissue around cardiac pacemaker implants, as reported in a recent issue of the journal Biomaterials.1 The protective membrane could greatly simplify surgical procedures for patients with cardiac pacemakers.

Bioresorbable Patch Offers New Alternative for Arterial Healing

TBMG-3563212/01/2019

When a patient experiences 70 percent or greater stenosis in the carotid artery — a condition that can cause lack of cerebral blood flow, stroke, and in some cases, death — surgeons perform a procedure known as carotid endarterectomy (CEA) to remove the plaque causing the artery stenosis.1,2 The procedure consists of a longitudinal incision made from the common to the internal carotid artery, allowing for removal of the plaque that deposits in the bifurcation.

Matrix-Free Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization Using Metal-Organic Frameworks

TBMG-3453406/01/2019

Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) is a soft ionization technique that is widely applied in the characterization of large biomolecules using various mass spectrometry (MS) analyzers, specifically, time-of-flight (TOF) analyzers. The MALDI process involves the deposition of an analyte solution onto a metal substrate before the addition of a matrix. The matrix/analyte dry spot is exposed to a UV laser, and the laser energy that is absorbed by the matrix/analyte is converted into heat energy that initiates charge transfer, which results in the desorption of the matrix and analyte molecules in ionized form. The positive ions are then accelerated through a vacuum into MS analyses.

Designs to Dye for: Autonomy's New-Materials Revolution

19AVEP05_0505/01/2019

From pineapples to bacteria, Envisage's research is focused on new mobility's ‘inside’ story. Evolving vehicle engineering constantly reshapes vehicle architectures. But along with electrified drive-trains and autonomous capabilities is the need for a mindset shift in materials, opening the way for new sustainable solutions in color, materials and finish (CMF). Future cabins could have pineapple, banana, coconut and eucalyptus among the material solutions-with bacteria playing a potentially positive role. All these sources are at play for research designer Sammie Mayers-Nissen and her colleagues at Envisage, the U.K.-based specialist engineering services provider helping to find sustainable alternatives to plastic, leather and harmful dyes that still meet quality, durability and cost demands. “As always, in terms of R&D of alternative materials and color, production-cost consideration is the massive driver, with performance very close behind,” said Mayers-Nissen.

Composite Advances Lignin as Renewable 3D Printing Material

TBMG-3393503/01/2019

Lignin is the material left over from the processing of biomass. It gives plants rigidity and also makes biomass resistant to being broken down into useful products. Researchers combined a melt-stable hardwood lignin with conventional plastic, a low-melting nylon, and carbon fiber to create a composite with just the right characteristics for extrusion and weld strength between layers during the printing process, as well as excellent mechanical properties.

Large-Volume Extruder for 3D Printers

TBMG-3359501/01/2019

A low-cost 3D bioprinter was built by modifying a standard desktop 3D printer with a syringe-based, large volume extruder (LVE). The extruder works with most open-source fused deposition modeling (FDM) printers.

Biomaterials with “Frankenstein Proteins” Help Heal Tissue

TBMG-3345012/01/2018

Biomedical engineers from Duke University and Washington University in St. Louis have demonstrated that, by injecting an artificial protein made from a solution of ordered and disordered segments, a solid scaffold forms in response to body heat, and in a few weeks seamlessly integrates into tissue.

Simple Method Developed for 3D Biofabrication Based on Bacterial Cellulose

TBMG-2910106/01/2018

Bacterial cellulose (BC) nanofibers are promising building blocks for the development of sustainable materials with the potential to outperform conventional synthetic materials. BC, one of the purest forms of nanocellulose, is produced at the interface between the culture medium and air, where the aerobic bacteria have access to oxygen. Biocompatibility, biodegradability, high thermal stability, and mechanical strength are some of the unique properties that facilitate BC adoption in food, cosmetics, and biomedical applications including tissue regeneration, implants, wound dressing, burn treatment, and artificial blood vessels.

Control for Molecular Machines

TBMG-2881704/01/2018

Scientists around the world are working on new technologies for the nanofactories of the future, which one day could be used to analyze biochemical samples or produce active medical agents. The required miniature machines can already be produced costeffectively using the DNA-origami technique.

Hydrogels Release Therapeutics in Response to Environmental Triggers

TBMG-2828601/24/2018

Scientists have built and tested a new biomaterial-based delivery system — known as a hydrogel — that will encase a desired cargo and dissolve to release its freight only when specific physiological conditions are met.

Dental Material Resists Plaque, Kills Microbes

TBMG-2819912/27/2017

Researchers have evaluated a new dental material tethered with an antimicrobial compound that not only kills bacteria but also resists biofilm growth. In addition, unlike some drug-infused materials, it is effective with minimal toxicity to the surrounding tissue, as it contains a low dose of the antimicrobial agent that kills only the bacteria that come in contact with it.

Stronger Silk Offers Biomedical Applications

TBMG-2790711/15/2017

Engineers have found they can make a material that is more than twice as stiff as its natural counterpart and can be shaped into complex structures such as meshes and lattices.

3D-Printing Materials Offer Safer Option for Wound Care

TBMG-2784311/01/2017

Cellulose nanofibrils have properties that can improve the characteristics of bio-based 3D printing pastes. VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland is developing a 3D wound care product for monitoring wound conditions in hospitals.

Medical Plastics: Meeting Today’s Changing Requirements

TBMG-2642702/01/2017

Today’s medical device designers and OEMs are challenged to meet a wide, and sometimes conflicting, range of requirements. These targets stem not only from regulatory restrictions, but are equally likely to arise based on market perceptions, pressures to contain costs, and the changing materials supply landscape.

3D Textile Engineering

TBMG-2595011/01/2016

Secant Medical, Telford, PA, has developed 3D textile engineering technology by integrating traditional textile engineering with advanced biomaterials. By combining the spatial resolution capability with advanced bioresorbable polymers, the company uses its proprietary bioelastomer Regenerez® to assist in enhancing the biomechanical properties of these 3D structures. This technology transforms a simple, synthetic textile into an elastomeric scaffold, which provides for a broad range of bioresorbable polymers for the structural design. The company has begun development of an anatomical scaffold prototype based on the trachea. The 3D textile engineered trachea scaffold demonstrates the precision of creating 20 Cshaped rings stacked along the length of the prototype with narrow, flexible regions spaced in between to mimic the natural bioarchitecture of the trachea.

Salt-Measuring Sensor Spots Early Signs of Cystic Fibrosis

TBMG-2545109/25/2016

Biomaterials scientists from Penn State, University Park, PA, have developed a new, inexpensive method for detecting salt in sweat or other bodily fluids. The fluorescent sensor, derived from citric acid molecules, is highly sensitive and highly selective for chloride, the key diagnostic marker in cystic fibrosis.

Bio-Based Composites and Their Applications for Auto Interior Parts

2016-01-051204/05/2016

Polylactide (PLA), which is one of the most important biocompatible polyesters that are derived from annually renewable biomass such as corn and sugar beets, has attracted much attention for automotive parts application. The manufacturing method of PLA is the ring-opening polymerization of the dimeric cyclic ester of lactic acid, lactide. For the PLA composites including stereocomplexed with L- and D-PLA, we developed the unit processes such as fermentation, separation, lactide conversion, and polymerization. We investigated D-lactic acid fermentation with a view to obtaining the strains capable of producing D-lactic acid, and through catalyst screening test for polycondensation and depolymerization reactions, we got a new method which shortens the whole reaction time of lactide synthesis step. Poly(d-lactide) is obtained from the ring-opening polymerization of d-lactide. Also we investigated several catalysts and polymerization conditions. Finally, we got the best catalyst system and

Hong, Chae-Hwan

Researchers Print Lifelike Ear Models

TBMG-2312512/01/2015

Children with under-formed or missing ears can undergo surgeries to fashion a new ear from rib cartilage. Aspiring surgeons, however, lack lifelike practice models. A University of Washington otolaryngology resident and bioengineering student 3D-printed a low-cost pediatric rib cartilage model that more closely resembles the feel of real cartilage and allows for realistic surgical practice.

New Lasers Offer 3D Micropatterning of Biocompatible Silk Hydrogels

TBMG-2309612/01/2015

Tufts University biomedical engineers are using low-energy, ultrafast laser technology to make high-resolution, 3D structures in silk protein hydrogels. The laser-based micropatterning represents a new approach to customized engineering of tissue and biomedical implants.

Mouth Guard Detects Key Diabetes Marker

09/01/2015

Engineers at the University of California, San Diego, have developed a mouth guard that monitors health markers, such as lactate, cortisol, and uric acid, in saliva. The information can then be wirelessly transmitted to a smartphone, laptop, or tablet.

Researchers Develop Biodegradable Wooden Computer Chips

TBMG-2235906/17/2015

Portable electronics — typically made of non-renewable, non-biodegradable and potentially toxic materials — are discarded at an alarming rate in consumers' pursuit of the next best electronic gadget. In an effort to alleviate the environmental burden of electronic devices, a team of University of Wisconsin-Madison researchers has collaborated with researchers in the Madison-based U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Products Laboratory (FPL) to develop a surprising solution: a semiconductor chip made almost entirely of wood.

Regenerating the Future of Biomaterials in Orthopedics

10/02/2014

Musculoskeletal ailments are a primary cause of disability in the United States. As reported by the United States Bone and Joint Initiative (), with a nearly $950-million burden weighing on the healthcare system, there is a considerable and growing need for advanced treatments for a variety of orthopedic conditions, especially as patients continue to desire to maintain an active lifestyle well into their golden years.

Repairing Broken Bones with Silk Implants

TBMG-1918305/01/2014

When a surgeon needs to repair a broken bone requiring screws and plates to help bond the broken sections so the fracture to heal, the "fixation devices" are usually made of metal alloys. But metal devices may have potential disadvantages. Resorbable fixation devices, made of synthetic polymers, also have some disadvantages. A third option, is silk, says a team of investigators from Tufts University School of Engineering, Medford, MA, and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC), Boston.

A Life Cycle Assessment of Natural Fiber Reinforced Composites in Automotive Applications

2014-01-195904/01/2014

Automakers have the opportunity to utilize bio-based composite materials to lightweight cars while replacing conventional, nonrenewable resource materials. In this study, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is used to understand the potential benefits and tradeoffs associated with the implementation of bio-based composite materials in automotive component production. This cradle-to-grave approach quantifies the fiber and resin production as well as material processing, use, and end of life for both a conventional glass-reinforced polypropylene component as well as a cellulose-reinforced polypropylene component. The comparison is calculated for an exterior component on a high performance vehicle. The life cycle primary energy consumption and global warming potential (GWP) are evaluated. Reduced GWP associated with the alternative component are due to the use of biomass as process energy and carbon sequestration, in addition to the alternative material component's lightweighting effect

Boland, Claire, DeKleine, Robb, Moorthy, Aditi, Keoleian, Gregory, Kim, Hyung Chul, Lee, Ellen, Wallington, Timothy J.

Shaping the Next Generation of Cardiovascular Devices Through Biomedical Textile Engineering

TBMG-1891701/01/2014

The cardiovascular device market is growing, with research forecasting that the cardiac implant medical device market alone will exceed $27 billion by the year 2017, according to the May 2013 Renub Research study “Global Cardiac Implant Devices Market Forecast, Clinical Trials, M&A”. There is tremendous opportunity in this industry, but with it comes intensifying pressure on device OEMs to innovate on the traditional implant model. As a result, engineers are increasingly required to explore new and different solutions to achieve in vivo drug delivery, implant success, fewer revisions, and improved patient outcomes.

Creating New Device Coatings from Cocoa Compounds

TBMG-1714810/01/2013

Researchers at Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, discovered that natural products, like green tea leaves, red wine, dark chocolate, and cacao beans could inspire excellent antibacterial coatings. That’s because they all contain polyphenols, naturally occurring plant molecules that defend against bacteria and oxidative damage.

Fine-Tuning Emissions From Quantum Dots

TBMG-1740509/01/2013

Tiny particles of matter called quantum dots, which emit light with exceptionally pure and bright colors, have found a prominent role as biological markers. In addition, they are realizing their potential in computer and television screens, and have promise in solid-state lighting. New research at MIT could now make these quantum dots even more efficient at delivering precisely tuned colors of light.

Advanced Materials Research Center Announced

TBMG-1674008/01/2013

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) plans to establish a new Advanced Materials Center of Excellence to facilitate collaborations between NIST and researchers from academia and industry on advanced materials development.

New Hydrogel Destroys Drug-Resistant Biofilms

TBMG-1617304/01/2013

Researchers from the Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (IBN) in Singapore, in collaboration with IBM Research say that they have developed the firstever antimicrobial hydrogel that can break apart biofilms and destroy multidrug-resistant superbugs upon contact.

Medicine Delivery Device With Integrated Sterilization and Detection

TBMG-1550001/01/2013

Sterile delivery devices can be created by integrating a medicine delivery instrument with surfaces that are coated with germicidal and anti-fouling material. This requires that a large surface-area template be developed within a constrained volume to ensure good contact between the delivered medicine and the germicidal material. Both of these can be integrated using JPL-developed silicon nanotip or cryo-etch black silicon technologies with atomic layer deposition (ALD) coating of specific germicidal layers.

Cardiovascular Applications of Biomedical Materials

TBMG-1488510/01/2012

Every day, a healthy human heart pumps 2,000 gallons of blood through 60,000 miles of blood vessels. Given this demanding workload, it’s not surprising that people can suffer heart complications. People are living longer lives and the number of patients with cardiovascular disease is growing. As the average age and weight of the population increases, so does their propensity to develop cardiovascular disease. Significant advancements to minimally invasive cardiovascular treatments are improving physicians’ ability to treat heart disease, while specialized interventional cardiovascular techniques are becoming increasingly important to slow its progression.

Silk Microneedles Deliver Controlled-Release Drugs Painlessly

TBMG-1463309/01/2012

Bioengineers have developed a new silk-based microneedle system able to deliver precise amounts of drugs over time and without need for refrigeration. The tiny needles can be fabricated under normal temperature and pressure and from water, so they can be loaded with sensitive biochemical compounds and maintain their activity prior to use. They are also biodegradable and biocompatible.

Biomaterials Unlock Potential of Regenerative Medicine

TBMG-1434108/01/2012

Regenerative medicine (RM) holds the potential to address some of society’s most intractable health problems and restore or establish normal bodily function. Today, regenerative medicine is an emerging technology that relies on the convergence of a number of competencies in biotechnology and bioengineering. By merging these collective competencies, researchers hope to provide the critical answers to the complex problems of tissue engineering and extend these concepts into regenerative medicine.

Bioabsorbable Material Textile for Improving In Vivo Device Design

TBMG-1392606/01/2012

A non-woven absorbable scaffold has been designed for implant devices in orthopedics, cardiology, and general surgery, as well as other in vivo applications. Where classic tissue engineering utilized non-woven textile structures as environments for cell growth, medical device developers are now going further to exploit the benefits of these bioabsorbable scaffolds for applications and surgical procedures right inside the body, as well as for cosmetic surgery, wound care, and more. BIOFELT combines the benefits of traditional 3D non-woven scaffold technology with advanced manufacturing techniques to deliver this transformative capability.

The light stuff

12OFHD0524_0105/24/2012

Engineers look to lightweighting construction and agricultural equipment to contribute to efficiency while maintaining safety compliance. Customers in the agricultural sprayer industry want longer spray booms for higher efficiency and productivity. Manufacturers have lengthened commercial spray booms from 60 ft (18.3 m) to the more than 120-ft (36.6-m) booms currently used. John Peterson, Director of Engineering, Global Applications & Seeding Electronics Functional Group at AGCO, said that as the structures grow, it becomes obvious that traditional welded steel cannot be used. Domex, a high-strength steel, is used in current products, but it does not provide the length-to-strength ratio necessary <bold>AGCO and NDSU are researching joints of multiple types of materials to create longer, lighter-weight spray booms.</bold> for longer structures, which Peterson says could be more than 170 ft (51.8 m) long. “The boom becomes so heavy that problems arise in the middle where it attaches to

Sniderman, Debbie

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