Soft Hydrogel Shapeability via Supportive Bath Matching in Embedded 3D Printing

Embedded 3D printing is widely adapted for fabricating architected soft and non-self-supporting hydrogels applications ranging from tissue engineering to robotics. Although the matching between supportive baths sets foundation in embedded printing, rule-of-thumb bath selection creation not yet established. Herein, “shapeability” of distinct classes hydrogel inks (i.e., pH-responsive, photo-crosslinkable, thermal-sensitive, chemically crosslinkable monomeric, cationic anionic inks) diverse representative support gelatin slurry, agarose fluid gel, Carbopol oil-based baths) evaluated. The results show that dominate mechanisms interfacial instabilities, including diffusion-driven or charge-driven, can be predicted by evaluating composition pairing pre-crosslinked ink bath. Based on this, a general simplistic guideline attain shapeability proposed. approach widen spectrum materials structured on-demand plethora functionalities.