Scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Medical Research and the University of Heidelberg have developed a new technology to 3D print matter, the university said in a press release.
The researchers came up with a concept that uses multiple acoustic holograms to generate pressure fields that can be used to print solid particles, gel spheres and even biological cells. These results pave the way for new 3D cell culture techniques with applications in biomedical engineering.
Conventional 3D printing can be a slow process, building objects one line or layer at a time. Researchers are now demonstrating how they can form a 3D object from smaller building blocks in a single step.
“We were able to assemble microparticles into a three-dimensional object in one go using shaped ultrasound,” says Kai Melde, postdoc in the group and first author of the study. “This can be very useful for bioprinting. The cells used there are particularly sensitive to the environment during the process,” adds Peer Fischer, professor at the University of Heidelberg.
Sound waves
Sound waves exert forces on matter. Every concertgoer who experiences the pressure waves from a loudspeaker knows this. With high-frequency ultrasound, which is inaudible to the human ear, wavelengths below a millimeter can be pushed into the microscopic domain. The researchers use this to manipulate very small building blocks, such as biological cells.
3D bioprinting takes on a new dimension
Many companies are developing 4D bioprinting methods. Major growth is also predicted in the overall 4D bioprinting market.
Print fabrics
The scientists believe their technology is a promising platform for the formation of cell cultures and tissues in 3D. The advantage of ultrasound is that it is gentle on biological cells and can penetrate deep into tissue. For example, remote ultrasound can manipulate and push cells without causing damage.