Abstract
The interest in bioprinting of sustainable biomaterials is rapidly growing, and lignocellulosic biomaterials have a unique role in this development. Lignocellulosic materials are biocompatible and possess tunable mechanical properties, and therefore promising for use in the field of 3D-printed biomaterials. This review aims to spotlight the recent progress on the application of different lignocellulosic materials (cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin) from various sources (wood, bacteria, and fungi) in different forms (including nanocrystals and nanofibers in 3D bioprinting). Their crystallinity, leading to water insolubility and the presence of suspended nanostructures, makes these polymers stand out among hydrogel-forming biomaterials. These unique structures give rise to favorable properties such as high ink viscosity and strength and toughness of the final hydrogel, even when used at low concentrations. In this review, the application of lignocellulosic polymers with other components in inks is reported for 3D bioprinting and identified supercritical CO2 as a potential sterilization method for 3D-printed cellulosic materials. This review also focuses on the areas of potential development by highlighting the opportunities and unmet challenges such as the need for standardization of the production, biocompatibility, and biodegradability of the cellulosic materials that underscore the direction of future research into the 3D biofabrication of cellulose-based biomaterials.
Highlights
Searched for application in orthopedics, Lignocellulosic materials are biocompatible and possess tunable mechanical properties, and promising for use in the field of 3D-printed biomaterials
This review aims to spotlight the recent progress on the application of different lignocellulosic materials
There is a high and growing demand for green materials and products, whilst the advance of 3D printing relies on a larger range of materials becoming available
Summary
The most abundant polymer in nature, is a semicrystalline, highly polymerized natural homopolymer with reinforcing effect in wood and nonwood fibers.[12]. TEMPO oxidization refers to 2,2,6,6,-tetramethylpiperidine-1oxyl mediated oxidation and is applied to selectively oxidize C6primary hydroxyls exposed on the cellulose microfibril surfaces into C6-carboxylate groups in water.[27] The generation of these negatively charged C6-carboxylate groups will facilitate the weakening of the interfibrillar hydrogen bonds, due to the electrostatic repulsions produced by negative charges and enabling the disintegration of oxidized fibers into individualized cellulose nanofibrils.[27] The individual fibers, obtained after TEMPO oxidization are characterized by widths ranging from 3 to 4 nm widths and high aspect ratios (>50).[28] The fibers are long in length, tensile strengths (200–300 MPa), elastic moduli (6– 7 GPa), high light transparencies and flexibilities.[29] These aforementioned properties of the TEMPO-oxidized cellulose enhance its tenability.[29b]
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