The aim of this study was to build a mechanically enhanced three-dimensional (3D) bioprinted construct containing two different cell types for osteochondral tissue regeneration. Recently, the production of 3D cell-laden structures using various scaffold-free cell printing technologies has opened up new possibilities. However, ideal 3D complex tissues or organs have not yet been printed because gel-state hydrogels have been used as the principal material and are unable to maintain the desired 3D structure due to their poor mechanical strength. In this study, thermoplastic biomaterial polycaprolactone (PCL), which shows relatively high mechanical properties as compared with hydrogel, was used as a framework for enhancing the mechanical stability of the bioprinted construct. Two different alginate solutions were then infused into the previously prepared framework consisting of PCL to create the 3D construct for osteochondral printing. For this work, a multi-head tissue/organ building system (MtoBS), which was particularly designed to dispense thermoplastic biomaterial and hydrogel having completely different rheology properties, was newly developed and used to bioprint osteochondral tissue. It was confirmed that the line width, position and volume control of PCL and alginate solutions were adjustable in the MtoBS. Most importantly, dual cell-laden 3D constructs consisting of osteoblasts and chondrocytes were successfully fabricated. Further, the separately dispensed osteoblasts and chondrocytes not only retained their initial position and viability, but also proliferated up to 7 days after being dispensed.

Natural biomaterials such as hyaluronic acid, gelatin and collagen provide excellent environments for tissue regeneration. Furthermore, gel-state natural biomaterials are advantageous for encapsulating cells and growth factors. In cell printing technology, hydrogel which contains cells was printed directly to form three-dimensional (3D) structures for tissue or organ regeneration using various types of printers. However, maintaining the 3D shape of the printed structure, which is made only of the hydrogel, is very difficult due to its weak mechanical properties. In this study, we developed a hybrid scaffold consisting of synthetic biomaterials and natural hydrogel using a multi-head deposition system, which is useful in solid freeform fabrication technology. The hydrogel was intentionally infused into the space between the lines of a synthetic biomaterial-based scaffold. The cellular efficacy of the hybrid scaffold was validated using rat primary hepatocytes and a mouse pre-osteoblast MC3T3-E1 cell line. In addition, the collagen hydrogel, which encapsulates cells, was dispensed and the viability of the cells observed. We demonstrated superior effects of the hybrid scaffold on cell adhesion and proliferation and showed the high viability of dispensed cells.

It is of critical importance to improve toughness, strength, and wear-resistance together for the development of advanced structural materials. Herein, we report on the synthesis of unoxidized graphene/alumina composite materials having enhanced toughness, strength, and wear-resistance by a low-cost and environmentally benign pressure-less-sintering process. The wear resistance of the composites was increased by one order of magnitude even under high normal load condition (25 N) as a result of a tribological effect of graphene along with enhanced fracture toughness (KIC) and flexural strength (σf) of the composites by ~75% (5.60 MPa·m1/2) and ~25% (430 MPa), respectively, compared with those of pure Al2O3. Furthermore, we found that only a small fraction of ultra-thin graphene (0.25–0.5 vol%, platelet thickness of 2–5 nm) was enough to reinforce the composite. In contrast to unoxidized graphene, graphene oxide (G-O) and reduced graphene oxide (rG-O) showed little or less enhancement of fracture toughness due to the degraded mechanical strength of rG-O and the structural defects of the G-O composites.

This study developed a bioabsorbable-guided bone regeneration membrane made of blended polycaprolactone (PCL), poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA), and beta-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) using solid freeform fabrication (SFF) technology. The chemical and physical properties of the membrane were evaluated using field emission scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy, and a tensile test. In vitro cell activity assays revealed that the adhesion, proliferation, and osteogenic differentiation of seeded adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) were significantly promoted by the PCL/PLGA/β-TCP membranes compared with PCL/PLGA membranes. When the PCL/PLGA and PCL/PLGA/β-TCP membranes were implanted on rabbit calvaria bone defects without ADSCs, microcomputed tomography and histological analyses confirmed that the SFF-based PCL/PLGA/β-TCP membranes greatly increased bone formation without the need for bone substitute materials. Moreover, tight integration, which helps to prevent exposure of the membrane, between both membranes and the soft tissues was clearly observed histologically. The SFF-based PCL/PLGA and PCL/PLGA/β-TCP membranes retained their mechanical stability for up to 8 weeks without significant collapse. Furthermore, PCL/PLGA/β-TCP underwent adequate degradation without a significant immune response at 8 weeks.

The thermal conductivity of layered metal chalcogenides such as MT2 (M = Mo, W; T = S, Se) shows a marked decrease after exfoliation and subsequent restacking process. Random stacking of two-dimensional crystalline sheets circumvents thermal conduction pathways along a longitudinal direction, which results in a reduction in thermal conductivity. WS2 and WSe2 compounds retain p-type conducting behavior after exfoliation and restacking with decreased electrical conductivity due to the change in carrier concentration. MoSe2 compound exhibits metallic behavior < 130 o C with a small Seebeck coefficient, which results from metastable 1T-MoSe2 structure of the restacked phase.