Researchers at the University of Waterloo have developed a new way to make programmable 3D printed wound dressings using advanced polymers that could improve the treatment of burn patients as well as help in the delivery of cancer medication. The innovative hydrogel wound dressing material provides distinct temperature-responsive behavior, as it can contract or expand by heating or cooling, bringing switchable adhesion.
Aided by improvements in 3D printing, the role of advanced materials such as smart polymers is crucial in the development of digital health technology, especially for personalized wound dressing that can be easily positioned and peeled off the skin. This is especially important for treating patients with bad burns due to how often their dressing has to be changed, which is a painful process.
As reported in the Journal of Colloids and Interface Science [Bauman, L., Zhao, B. J. Colloid Interface Sci. (2023) DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2023.02.021], this proof of concept material includes a biopolymer derived from seaweed, a thermally responsive polymer, and cellulose nanocrystals, with its shape being customized with a 3D printer and surface adhesion also able to be fine-tuned.
The thermal responsiveness of the dressing means it can warm on the skin and slowly reduce to room temperature. After being cooled in the fridge, the dressing also expands but then shrinks with body temperature so that it is easier and less painful to remove. In addition, the dressing is designed to provide time-release medication so it can offer longer-lasting pain relief. A guiding principle for the system was to use it clinically with a commercial 3D mSLA printer and the resin, which allows the dressings to be made close to the patient and means there is no need for expensive fabrication equipment.
There are also potential applications in the beauty and cosmetic industry, as the 3D scanning technology could analyze facial features and a hydrogel mask infused with specific facial and skin regimen products could then be customized. As team leader Boxin Zhao told Materials Today, “The research advances the field of 3D printing hydrogels by providing a newly designed thermal-responsive hydrogel system that can be printed into customized shapes with high fidelity.”
The team believe there will be increasing use of biopolymers from renewable resources in material developments to aid both functionality and sustainability, and hope to further improve the material's properties to make it healthier and commercially viable, as well as to explore other types of thermo-responsive materials.
“The research advances the field of 3D printing hydrogels by providing a newly designed thermal-responsive hydrogel system that can be printed into customized shapes with high fidelity.”Boxin Zhao
Patient-specific wound dressings