Flexible material formulations for 3D printing of ordered porous beds with applications in bioprocess engineering

Abstract Background 3D printing is revolutioning many industrial sectors and has the potential to enhance also biotechnology bioprocessing fields. Here, we propose a new flexible material formulation print support matrices with complex, perfectly ordered morphology tuneable properties suit range of applications in bioprocess engineering. Findings Supports were fabricated using functional monomers as key ingredients, enabling bespoke chemistry, such charged groups, chemical moieties for further functionalization, hydrophobic/hydrophilic groups. Other e.g. crosslinkers porogens, can be employed fabricate supports diverse characteristics their porous network, providing an opportunity regulate mechanical mass transfer supports. Through this approach, demonstrated operation Schoen gyroid columns (I) positive negative charges ion exchange chromatography, (II) enzyme bioreactors immobilized trypsin catalyse hydrolysis, (III) bacterial biofilm fuel desulphurization. Conclusions This study demonstrates simple, cost-effective, fabrication customized printed different bioengineering applications.