Page 367 - IJB-10-3

International

Journal of Bioprinting

RESEARCH ARTICLE
Multi-physical field control piezoelectric

inkjet bioprinting for 3D tissue-like structure
manufacturing

Huixuan Zhu 1,2,3 , Run Li , Song Li , Kai Guo , Chuang Ji , Feiyang Gao ,
1,2
1,2
1,2
1,2
1,2
Yuejing Zheng , Runyang Zhu , Heran Wang 1,2,3 , Liming Zhang ,
1,2
1,2
1,2
Lianqing Liu *, and Xiongfei Zheng *
1,2
1,2
1 State Key Laboratory of Robotics, Shenyang Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of
Sciences, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
2 Institutes for Robotics and Intelligent Manufacturing, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang,
Liaoning, China
3
University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
Abstract
With high precision, drop-on-demand, and noncontact material delivery advantages,
inkjet bioprinting technology has been widely used in tissue manufacturing.
However, the main challenge of inkjet bioprinting is that the bioink must be liquid-
like in the printhead to avoid clogging the nozzle, then form microdroplets, and
finally undergo crosslinking to quickly form a gel and make an object with strength
and precision. The primary solution relies on the fast crosslinking of sodium alginate
*Corresponding authors: by calcium chloride. Nevertheless, it is difficult to guarantee the precision of inkjet
Lianqing Liu bioprinting with this method, and cumulative errors lead to the inability to print high
(lqliu@sia.cn)
Xiongfei Zheng aspect ratio three-dimensional (3D) structures. Additionally, sodium alginate lacks
(zhengxiongfei@sia.cn) cell adhesion sites, and calcium chloride at high concentrations is toxic to cells. To
solve the above problems, we present a new printing method called multi-physical
Citation: Zhu H, Li R, Li S, et al.
Multi-physical field control field control piezoelectric inkjet bioprinting (MFCPIB) for making 3D tissue-like
piezoelectric inkjet bioprinting for 3D structures using 5% gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA). For extrusion and photocuring
tissue-like structure manufacturing. 3D bioprinting tasks, 5% GelMA is widely used due to its favorable biocompatibility.
Int J Bioprint. 2024;10(3):2120.
doi: 10.36922/ijb.2120 In this study, we accomplished a 5% GelMA inkjet bioprinting for the first time by
leveraging the MFCPIB method. Our experimental results demonstrated the feasibility
Received: October 26, 2023
Accepted: January 3, 2024 of this approach for printing GelMA of different concentrations. The temperature-
Published Online: February 29, 2024 sensitive GelMA was utilized during the printing process in which GelMA is liquid-
like in the high-temperature printhead, cools in the form of microdroplets in cold air
Copyright: © 2024 Author(s).
This is an Open Access article after injection, and finally photocrosslinks to form a permanent gel. We analyzed the
distributed under the terms of the inverse piezoelectric effect and fluid dynamics to control the pressure field, which
Creative Commons Attribution in turn controls the velocity and diameter of the microdroplets. After conducting a
License, permitting distribution,
and reproduction in any medium, simulation analysis of the temperature field and performing calculations using the
provided the original work is lumped parameter method, we implemented a dual closed-loop control strategy
properly cited. to ensure precise temperature control of the microdroplets. Furthermore, based on
Publisher’s Note: AccScience the analysis of energy conversion, we obtained the pressure and temperature field
Publishing remains neutral with control laws corresponding to the ideal printable temperature of the microdroplet.
regard to jurisdictional claims in
published maps and institutional Using the MFCPIB method, different 3D structures were successfully printed with
affiliations. GelMA. For example, a cell-laden vessel-like structure with an aspect ratio of 4.0

Volume 10 Issue 3 (2024) 359 doi: 10.36922/ijb.2120