Fig. 6: Multi-material 4D printing and potential biomedical applications. | Nature Communications

Fig. 6: Multi-material 4D printing and potential biomedical applications.

From: 4D printed hydrogel scaffold with swelling-stiffening properties and programmable deformation for minimally invasive implantation

Fig. 6

a Programmable deformation of the multi-material 4D printed two-layer grids with different alignments of the active layer. b Programmable deformation of designed 2D flat patterns. The left column, middle column, and right column in (a, b) represented the initial configuration, the as-printed 2D patterns, and the deformed 3D structures, respectively. c–f Schematic illustrations and photographs of printed structures undergoing multi-dimensional deformation and potential applications as fibrous ring replacement (c), soft tissue defect support (d), vascular scaffolds (e), and cartilage defect scaffolds (f). The deformation in (c), and (d) involves programmable deformation in response to water. The deformation in (e), and (f) involves body temperature-triggered shape memory and programmable deformation in response to water. Scale bars:10 mm.

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