Fraunhofer Researchers 3D Print Biomimetic Tissue Substitute, File Patent - 3DPrinting.com

• Fraunhofer Researchers 3D Print Biomimetic Tissue Substitute, File Patent April 23

Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Polymer Research IAP and the NMI Natural and Medical Sciences Institute have developed a 3D-printed tissue substitute that mimics the mechanical behavior of natural tissue, with both institutions jointly filing a patent for the material. The development, completed under the German federal government’s PolyKARD project, is now ready for medical technology applications. The material’s three-layer structure is what sets it apart. A dense polymer film made of polyurethane acrylate forms the base. On top of that, a wavy metastructure is applied via 3D printing, which controls the mechanical behavior. Electrospun collagen, produced using a process developed at the NMI, is then added to support biological function. The quality of the collagen f