Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
(UV) laser beam irradiates the surface of a UV-curable liquid pho-
topolymer, causing it to solidify. Many scanned UV laser lines are
overlapped to fabricate a given cross-sectional area. These cross-
sectional areas are stacked together to form the desired 3D shape.
Microstereolithgraphy (MSTL) was developed from SL and uses a
specific laser beam that is a few
m in diameter. The laser beam
is used to solidify a very small area of the photopolymer using a
focusing lens (Fig. 31.1). MSTL is the highest-resolution SFF tech-
nology.MSTLalsohasanadvantageoverotherfabricationtechnolo-
giesinthatitenablesthefabricationof3Dfreeformstructuresatthe
nanometerandmicrometerscale.Further,theinnerarchitecturecan
bepreciselycontrolledbyutilizingCAD/CAMtechnology.Asaresult
of these features, this technology offers great potential for the fab-
rication of adequate scaffolds for tissue engineering. However, this
methodrequiresphotocurablematerialstofabricateastructure,and
thismateriallimitationisalargebarrierforscaffoldfabrication.Sev-
eral approaches may overcome this limitation, including developing
photocurable biomaterialsandcombiningmethods that usevarious
other biomaterials.
μ
31.2.1.1 Photopolymer scaffold
Photocurable biomaterials such as polypropylene fumarate (PPF)
and materials based on trimethylene carbonate (TMC) and gelatin
have been developed foruse in SL scaffoldfabrication.
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(a)
(b)
Figure 31.1.
(a)FundamentalprincipleofSLtechnology
3
and(b)theoret-
ical shape of the solidified polymer.
4
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