Issue 15, 2021

3D printing of lubricative stiff supramolecular polymer hydrogels for meniscus replacement

Abstract

3D printing of a stiff and lubricative hydrogel-based meniscus substitute has been challenging since printability and stiffness compromise each other. In this work, based on an upgraded self-thickening and self-strengthening strategy, a unique multiple H-bonding monomer N-acryloylsemicarbazide (NASC) is firstly copolymerized with a super-hydrophilic monomer carboxybetaine acrylamide (CBAA) in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO)/H2O to form a soft poly(NASC-co-CBAA) gel, in which PCBAA serves to weaken the H-bonding interaction and avoid hydrophobic phase separation. The poly(NASC-co-CBAA) gel is then loaded with concentrated NASC and CBAA, followed by heating to form a thickening sol ink, which is printed into different objects that are further photoirradiated to initiate the copolymerization of entrapped NASC and CBAA, resulting in the formation of a high performance hydrogel with a Young's modulus of 10.98 MPa, tensile strength of 1.87 MPa and tearing energy of 5333 J m−2 after DMSO is completely replaced with water, due to the re-establishment of NASC H-bonds. Importantly, PCBAA affords high lubricity in printed hydrogels. The printed PNASC–PCBAA meniscus substitute can substitute rabbit's native meniscus and ameliorate the cartilage surface wear within a set 12-week time window, portending great potential as a meniscal substitute and other soft-supporting tissue scaffolds.

Graphical abstract: 3D printing of lubricative stiff supramolecular polymer hydrogels for meniscus replacement

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Communication
Submitted
29 May 2021
Accepted
21 Jun 2021
First published
22 Jun 2021

Biomater. Sci., 2021,9, 5116-5126

3D printing of lubricative stiff supramolecular polymer hydrogels for meniscus replacement

C. Fan, Z. Xu, T. Wu, C. Cui, Y. Liu, B. Liu, J. Yang and W. Liu, Biomater. Sci., 2021, 9, 5116 DOI: 10.1039/D1BM00836F

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