Medical Design Briefs - February 2022 - 20

A Colorful, Sustainable Solution for 3D Printing in
Healthcare
Brown seaweed, pigments
team up for nontoxic and
stable gel structures.
Pacific Northwest National
Laboratory
Richland, WA
The roots of ArtSea Inks and Materials
began with biodetection in mind -
specifically, rapid detection and characterization
of biological threats - using a
combination of strengths in 3D printing,
material design, tissue engineering, and
host response.
" We've matched this expertise with
the concept of 3D printing so we could,
for example, develop a novel 3D printed
human tissue array to study how
harmful microbial pathogens can affect
the
tissue, "
says Anne Arnold, the
researcher who led development of
ArtSea Inks and Materials. An example
of such a pathogen is Bacillus anthracis,
the causative agent of anthrax and
influenza.
Beyond biodetection, the team soon
discovered that ArtSea Inks and
Materials could be used for a wider
array of purposes, such as creating art,
providing models for science, technology,
engineering, and mathematics
use, or developing 3D printed medical
models.
" We've discovered it's a very versatile
innovation that reaches beyond biodetection, "
says Sara Hunt, PNNL commercialization
manager. " The technology
can be extended to larger medical corporations,
schools, even the 'DIYers'
who enjoy making their own creations. "
ArtSea Ink and Materials, developed
using a PNNL internal funding program
that is designed to foster innovation and
creativity, were recently featured in
Nature after findings were published in
the journal ACS Omega.
n Alginate and Mica - The Secret
Sauce
ArtSea Inks and Materials are referred
ArtSea Inks and Materials can be used to create colorful art projects and 3-D models for science,
technology, engineering, and mathematical use, medical science, and other fields. (Credit: Andrea
Starr/Pacific Northwest National Laboratory)
to as bioinks because they are made from
alginate, a low-cost, widely available, and
non-toxic sodium salt extracted from
brown seaweed. The material forms a
stable gel without the need for excessive
heat.
To create the bioink, the scientists
infuse the pigments, called mica colorants,
into the algal extract - imparting
vivid colors.
The algal/mica combination is
dissolved
in water and then combined with
a solution of calcium chloride. The positively
charged calcium ions meld with
negatively charged portions of various
polymer strands, forming a viscous tunable
gum that offers a balance of stiffness
and workability to form stable 3D
structures.
The solution is then extruded from a
syringe-like applicator to form colorful,
finely detailed 2D and 3D structures. It
eliminates the need for complex software
or hardware maintenance of a 3D
printer.
The bioinks also can be formulated to
any color, including metallic and pearlesArtSea
Inks and Materials are extruded from syringe-like applicators to form colorful 2D and 3D
structures. (Credit: Andrea Starr/Pacific Northwest National Laboratory)
20
Cov
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cent colors, as well as glow-in-the-dark
inks. ArtSea Inks and Materials can be
used to create representations of biologMedical
Design Briefs, February 2022

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Medical Design Briefs - February 2022

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