Abstract
Three-dimensional (3D) printing technologies can be widely used for producing detailed geometries based on individual and particular demands. Some applications are related to the production of personalized devices, implants (orthopedic and dental), drug dosage forms (antibacterial, immunosuppressive, anti-inflammatory, etc.), or 3D implants that contain active pharmaceutical treatments, which favor cellular proliferation and tissue regeneration. This review is focused on the generation of 3D printed polymer-based objects that present antibacterial properties. Two main different alternatives of obtaining these 3D printed objects are fully described, which employ different polymer sources. The first one uses natural polymers that, in some cases, already exhibit intrinsic antibacterial capacities. The second alternative involves the use of synthetic polymers, and thus takes advantage of polymers with antimicrobial functional groups, as well as alternative strategies based on the modification of the surface of polymers or the elaboration of composite materials through adding certain antibacterial agents or incorporating different drugs into the polymeric matrix.
Highlights
According to the International Organization for Standardization/American Society for Testing and Materials (ISO/ASTM) standards, additive manufacturing (AM) is defined as “the process of joining materials to make parts from 3D model data, usually, layer by layer” [1]
The second alternative involves the use of synthetic polymers, and takes advantage of polymers with antimicrobial functional groups, as well as alternative strategies based on the modification of the surface of polymers or the elaboration of composite materials through adding certain antibacterial agents or incorporating different drugs into the polymeric matrix
The following sections will be devoted to the description of illustrative examples of the different strategies that have been reported for the fabrication of antimicrobial objects using natural occurring polymers, and using synthetic polymer blends with antimicrobial agents
Summary
According to the International Organization for Standardization/American Society for Testing and Materials (ISO/ASTM) standards (from a report of Technical Committee F42), additive manufacturing (AM) is defined as “the process of joining materials to make parts from 3D model data, usually, layer by layer” [1]. In the biomedical area, this topic is important because it is highly possible that bacteria could be present in the media, affecting the integrity of the medical devices and healthcare products [7] Another common problem associated with contamination by microorganisms, which needs to be solved in a short time, is the biofilm formation over 3D printed structures [8]. Understanding the relationship between the extracellular matrix and the 3D topography of the material could be fundamental for describing the mechanisms of matrix formation, mechanosensing, matrix remodeling, and the modulation of cell–cell or cell–matrix interactions during biofilm formation [9], which would allow one more step toward the solution for avoiding biofilm formation In this context, this short review will attempt to briefly describe the most relevant and recent advances in the elaboration of antimicrobial 3D printed devices and objects. The following sections will be devoted to the description of illustrative examples of the different strategies that have been reported for the fabrication of antimicrobial objects using natural occurring polymers, and using synthetic polymer blends with antimicrobial agents
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