New research has revealed a new technique utilizing 3D printing to create infection-fighting materials for use in medical implants. Engineers at the University of Bath, in collaboration with the University of Ulster, have successfully developed a ferroelectric composite material with antimicrobial properties using a novel multi-material 3D printing process. These electrically responsive materials have the potential to greatly improve the safety of implants, such as heart valves, stents, and bone implants, by reducing infection risks for patients.
All biomedical implants carry some risk of infection due to surface bio-contaminants. Reducing this risk could benefit patients with improved outcomes and help healthcare providers by cutting costs associated with ongoing treatment. The research team had previously utilized this 3D printing technique to create three-dimensional scaffolds for bone tissue engineering.
The innovative antimicrobial properties come from ferroelectricity, a characteristic of certain polar materials that generate electrical surface charge in response to changes in mechanical energy or temperature. In ferroelectric films and implants, this electrical charge forms reactive oxygen species (ROS) that selectively eradicate bacteria.
Biodegradable Polymer
The composite material used to harness this phenomenon is made by embedding ferroelectric barium calcium zirconate titanate (BCZT) micro-particles in polycaprolactone (PCL), a biodegradable polymer widely used in biomedical applications. The mixture is then 3D bioprinted into a porous scaffold shape to promote ROS formation.
“Biomedical implants that can fight infection or dangerous bacteria such as E. coli could present significant benefits to patients and to healthcare providers,” said Dr Hamideh Khanbareh, lead author on the paper.
“Our research indicates that the ferroelectric composite materials we have created have a great potential as antimicrobial materials and surfaces. This is a potentially game-changing development that we would be keen to develop further through collaboration with medical researchers or healthcare providers.”
Kills Bacteria Effectively
Tests have revealed that the composite can completely eradicate high concentrations of aggressive E. coli bacteria without external intervention, killing 70% within just 15 minutes. Researchers are eager to develop this game-changing technology further through collaboration with medical experts or healthcare providers.
You can read the paper, titled “Additively Manufactured Ferroelectric Particulate Composites for Antimicrobial Applications” in the Advanced Materials journal, at this link.
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