Researchers have developed a novel hydrogel that is as soft as pudding and dissolves in the body over time. This material could one day be used for custom-made bone implants.
The hydrogel is modeled on this natural bone healing process. It consists of 97 percent water and 3 percent a biocompatible polymer. To enable it to solidify, the researchers added two special molecules: a linking molecule that connects the polymer chains and a light-sensitive molecule that initiates the reaction.
The researchers use the laser beam to print any shape and structure into the hydrogel with very fine resolution and extreme precision. The structures can be as small as 500 nanometers. They produced, among other things, complexly structured hydrogels that resemble real bone and exhibit a fine network of bone trabeculae. The team used images from medical imaging as a template.
The tests also demonstrated that the material is biocompatible and does not harm the bone-forming cells. The researchers have patented the base material and intend to make it available to the medical industry.
