3-D Printed Bioceramic Composite Offers Flexible New Hope For Bone Replacement

Researchers at Northwester University (Evanston, Ill), report they have developed a hyperelastic material that can be 3-D printed into a potential bone replacement scaffold. The material is a 3-D printable ink that consists of hydroxyapatite and a biodegradable, biocompatible polymer binder in a solvent that evaporates during printing. The liquid ink can be rapidly 3-D printed at room temperature. The key to the new material is its Goldilocks combination of materials to provide strength and flexibility.