Researchers looking to 4-D printing to create biosensors from edible gels
A team of researchers working at the University of Wollongong in Australia has received the go-ahead for a seven year study with the goal of looking at the possibility of using additive manufacturing techniques to develop biosensors made from edible gels. Team lead Marc in het Panhuis along with colleague Alex Keller recently gave a presentation to attendees at a Materials Research Society, Symposium, entitled "Printed Organic Electronic Device Components from Edible Materials." Their aim is to learn if it might be possible to use ordinary edible gels to create biosensors that when consumed, could provide physicians with data regarding the internal state of a patient.
Traditionally, objects printed with 3D printers are hard—in het Panhuis and his team want to take the technology further, into the 4D realm, which is where objects that are printed change shape after the printing is complete. They believe that combining gels that are already eaten by people, such as those made using gelatin or other foods that jiggle, such as puddings, could lead to the creation ofgels that could serve as a biosensor.
The first hurdle, he explained, is to make the finished product harder—the jiggly stuff is too fragile. That can be done by mixing a gelatin with genipin (from the gardenia plant, normally used to treat inflammation) and gellan gum (normally used to thicken pastries). Next, they'll soak the hydrogel in saltwater for several days allowing for crosslinking, which will also make the gel more stable. Gels are of course mostly water, which is highly conductive, as of course is salt. Combined, the two can provide the basis for a very good biosensor. The team envisions, printing bite-sized sensors using a 3D printer (the gel would be heated inside to make it liquid), which as they cool down would take the form of the desired sensor. The main challenge at this point, he noted, lies with finding a way to read data from such a sensor in a reasonably easy way. He believes seven years should offer ample time to find a solution.
The team believes that their efforts will likely result in the development of other products for other uses as well, such as with soft robotics and other 4D printing applications.
- TAMS SEMICONDUCTOR LIMITED
Traditionally, objects printed with 3D printers are hard—in het Panhuis and his team want to take the technology further, into the 4D realm, which is where objects that are printed change shape after the printing is complete. They believe that combining gels that are already eaten by people, such as those made using gelatin or other foods that jiggle, such as puddings, could lead to the creation ofgels that could serve as a biosensor.
The first hurdle, he explained, is to make the finished product harder—the jiggly stuff is too fragile. That can be done by mixing a gelatin with genipin (from the gardenia plant, normally used to treat inflammation) and gellan gum (normally used to thicken pastries). Next, they'll soak the hydrogel in saltwater for several days allowing for crosslinking, which will also make the gel more stable. Gels are of course mostly water, which is highly conductive, as of course is salt. Combined, the two can provide the basis for a very good biosensor. The team envisions, printing bite-sized sensors using a 3D printer (the gel would be heated inside to make it liquid), which as they cool down would take the form of the desired sensor. The main challenge at this point, he noted, lies with finding a way to read data from such a sensor in a reasonably easy way. He believes seven years should offer ample time to find a solution.
The team believes that their efforts will likely result in the development of other products for other uses as well, such as with soft robotics and other 4D printing applications.
- TAMS SEMICONDUCTOR LIMITED