Tuning the Thermogelation and Rheology of Poly(2-Oxazoline)/Poly(2-Oxazine)s Based Thermosensitive Hydrogels for 3D Bioprinting
Malik Salman Haider,
Taufiq Ahmad,
Mengshi Yang,
Chen Hu,
Lukas Hahn,
Philipp Stahlhut,
Jürgen Groll,
Robert Luxenhofer
Affiliations
Malik Salman Haider
Functional Polymer Materials, Chair for Advanced Materials Synthesis, Institute for Functional Materials and Biofabrication, Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Julius-Maximilians-University Würzburg, Röntgenring 11, 97070 Würzburg, Germany
Taufiq Ahmad
Department of Functional Materials in Medicine and Dentistry, Institute for Functional Materials and Biofabrication and Bavarian Polymer Institute, Julius-Maximilians-University Würzburg, Pleicherwall 2, 97070 Würzburg, Germany
Mengshi Yang
Functional Polymer Materials, Chair for Advanced Materials Synthesis, Institute for Functional Materials and Biofabrication, Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Julius-Maximilians-University Würzburg, Röntgenring 11, 97070 Würzburg, Germany
Chen Hu
Functional Polymer Materials, Chair for Advanced Materials Synthesis, Institute for Functional Materials and Biofabrication, Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Julius-Maximilians-University Würzburg, Röntgenring 11, 97070 Würzburg, Germany
Lukas Hahn
Functional Polymer Materials, Chair for Advanced Materials Synthesis, Institute for Functional Materials and Biofabrication, Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Julius-Maximilians-University Würzburg, Röntgenring 11, 97070 Würzburg, Germany
Philipp Stahlhut
Department of Functional Materials in Medicine and Dentistry, Institute for Functional Materials and Biofabrication and Bavarian Polymer Institute, Julius-Maximilians-University Würzburg, Pleicherwall 2, 97070 Würzburg, Germany
Jürgen Groll
Department of Functional Materials in Medicine and Dentistry, Institute for Functional Materials and Biofabrication and Bavarian Polymer Institute, Julius-Maximilians-University Würzburg, Pleicherwall 2, 97070 Würzburg, Germany
Robert Luxenhofer
Functional Polymer Materials, Chair for Advanced Materials Synthesis, Institute for Functional Materials and Biofabrication, Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Julius-Maximilians-University Würzburg, Röntgenring 11, 97070 Würzburg, Germany
As one kind of “smart” material, thermogelling polymers find applications in biofabrication, drug delivery and regenerative medicine. In this work, we report a thermosensitive poly(2-oxazoline)/poly(2-oxazine) based diblock copolymer comprising thermosensitive/moderately hydrophobic poly(2-N-propyl-2-oxazine) (pPrOzi) and thermosensitive/moderately hydrophilic poly(2-ethyl-2-oxazoline) (pEtOx). Hydrogels were only formed when block length exceeded certain length (≈100 repeat units). The tube inversion and rheological tests showed that the material has then a reversible sol-gel transition above 25 wt.% concentration. Rheological tests further revealed a gel strength around 3 kPa, high shear thinning property and rapid shear recovery after stress, which are highly desirable properties for extrusion based three-dimensional (3D) (bio) printing. Attributed to the rheology profile, well resolved printability and high stackability (with added laponite) was also possible. (Cryo) scanning electron microscopy exhibited a highly porous, interconnected, 3D network. The sol-state at lower temperatures (in ice bath) facilitated the homogeneous distribution of (fluorescently labelled) human adipose derived stem cells (hADSCs) in the hydrogel matrix. Post-printing live/dead assays revealed that the hADSCs encapsulated within the hydrogel remained viable (≈97%). This thermoreversible and (bio) printable hydrogel demonstrated promising properties for use in tissue engineering applications.
