Next Generation Manufacturing of 3D Active Surface Coatings

下一代 3D 活性表面涂层制造

• 批准号: EP/M020738/2
• 负责人: Paul Roach
• 金额: $ 14.15万
• 依托单位: Loughborough University
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Research Grant
• 财政年份: 2017
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2017 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=EP%2FM020738%2F2
• 关键词: Next; Generation; Manufacturing; 3D; Active

We live in an exciting point in history where technology is advancing at a phenomenal rate, with precision manufacture playing a major part in modern day products. Additive manufacturing, making use of 3D printers, has been exploited over the past decade to a point where such instrumentation is considered to be at a peak in its technology life cycle. Reaching their maximum potential, 3D printers enable high resolution structures to be produced, although suffer from the limitation that the entire structure is defined by the material components, albeit that the most advanced manufacturing devices can support many materials simultaneously. The surface properties of any material are of key importance to the performance of the overall object - a simple example being that a waterproofing surface agent adds massive performance-related value to devices intended for use in the open elements. Advanced medical devices are now being fabricated using additive manufacturing techniques, with defined pores supporting tissue in-growth, and surface roughness being fabricated to enhance integration of implantable devices into bone. The most recent examples include manufacture of a jaw prosthesis, designer skull and facial plates. At a time when we are beginning to understand how to use surface properties to unlock the potential of stem cells for regenerative therapies, each of these example devices lacks the specific surface chemical patterns that could promote desired cellular responses during implantation. Thus, we are looking for novel manufacturing methods to pull research findings from the laboratory into usable devices.In the last decade, researchers, including ourselves, have understood that the biological niche is highly complex, with many proteinatious species harmoniously controlling the way cells adhere to materials, and how the (bio)materials interface dictates the progression of cellular response. We have extended our current ability to surface coat with simple chemicals, developing a tool for the patterning of (bio)chemicals onto surfaces. Here we will further develop this technology to allow modification of surfaces in both 2D and 3D, advancing the instrumentation to a point where it can be combined with the benefits of current 3D printers. We propose the next generation of 3D printers to include the ability to chemically pattern during production, allowing defined surface characteristics on and within a 3D structure. This technology will pave the way for translation of surface science into 3-dimensions, driving the development of enhanced devices. We give the example of impact through medical device manufacture, with other sectors also directly benefiting from the extended manufacturing capabilities of the developed instrumentation. These will include precision manufacture within electronics, energy harvest and energy storage devices, where direct-writing of thin film chemical (and electrically conductive) materials will enable miniaturization and enhanced performance. Throughout the project we will engage with multidisciplinary communities to promote the technology, and where possible allow other to use the equipment to manufacture products related to their own field.

我们生活在历史上令人兴奋的时刻，技术正在以惊人的速度前进，精确制造在现代产品中起着重要作用。在过去的十年中，使用3D打印机的增材制造已被利用，以至于该仪器被认为是其技术生命周期的顶峰。 3D打印机发挥其最大潜力，使高分辨率结构能够产生，尽管限制了整个结构是由材料组件定义的，尽管最先进的制造设备可以同时支持许多材料。任何材料的表面特性对于整体对象的性能至关重要 - 一个简单的例子是，防水表面代理为旨在在开放元素中使用的设备增加了与性能相关的大量值。现在，正在使用增材制造技术制造先进的医疗设备，其定义的毛孔支持组织内生长，并制造出表面粗糙度以增强植入式设备的整合到骨骼中。最新的例子包括生产下颌假体，设计师头骨和面板。在我们开始了解如何使用表面特性来解锁再生疗法的潜力时，这些示例设备中的每一个都缺乏特定的表面化学模式，这些模式可能会在植入过程中促进所需的细胞反应。因此，我们正在寻找新型的制造方法，以将研究结果从实验室吸引到可用的设备中。在过去的十年中，包括我们自己在内的研究人员已经了解到，生物位是非常复杂的，许多蛋白质的物种和谐地控制了细胞的粘附方式，以及（BIO）材料界面如何决定细胞反应的进展。我们已经扩展了目前用简单化学物质表面涂层的能力，从而开发了将（Bio）化学物质在表面上构图的工具。在这里，我们将进一步开发这项技术，以允许对2D和3D的表面进行修改，从而将仪器推进到可以与当前3D打印机的好处相结合的地步。我们建议下一代的3D打印机包括在生产过程中化学模式的能力，从而允许在3D结构上和内部定义的表面特征。这项技术将为将表面科学转化为三维的道路，从而推动增强设备的开发。我们通过医疗设备制造给出了影响的示例，其他部门也直接受益于开发仪器的扩展能力。这些将包括电子产品内的精确制造，能源收获和能量存储设备，其中直接薄膜化学（和带电导电）材料可以实现微型化和增强性能。在整个项目中，我们将与多学科社区互动以促进技术，并在可能的情况下允许其他设备使用与自己的领域相关的产品制造产品。