3D Inkjetting Droplet Formation of Bacterial Cellulosic Exopolysaccharide Gel

On-demand 3D printing of scaffolds and cell-laden structures has shown promising results that can significantly impact human welfare. The objective is to fully understand the behavior of bacterial cellulosic exopolysaccharide gel (BCEG) as a new bioink with low toxicity and high biocompatibility for regenerative medicine. Its possible application is to construct scaffolds that can be used for several biomedical applications, especially tissue engineering and treatment of critical bone defects. By using a MicroFab inkjet micro dispenser, BCEG was dispersed to create drops on demand that can be used to fabricate scaffolds. In order to fully understand the material’s behavior and droplet formation, we analyzed the physical and mechanical properties of the BCEG in different concentrations (0.1% 0.5% and 1%) and characterized it by its macroscopy, microscopy, rheology and particle size distribution.