ETH Zurich researchers developed a light-sensitive hydrogel that can be patterned at writing speeds of up to 400 millimetres per second, with structures as small as 500 nanometres. A new crosslinking molecule allows laser pulses to solidify selected regions of a mixture containing 97 percent water, creating intricate scaffolds modelled on bone architecture.
In laboratory cell cultures, bone-forming cells colonised the printed structures and began producing collagen. The team led by Xiao-Hua Qin and Ralph Müller reported the fabrication method in Advanced Materials and patented the base material. The work remains at the in-vitro stage, with animal tests planned to examine bone formation and mechanical recovery.
