Abstract
The multiphoton lithography (MPL) technique represents the future of 3D microprinting, enabling the production of complex microscale objects with high precision. Although the MPL fabrication parameters are widely evaluated and discussed, not much attention has been given to the microscopic properties of 3D objects with respect to their surface properties and time-dependent stability. These properties are of crucial importance when it comes to the safe and durable use of these structures in biomedical applications. In this work, we investigate the surface properties of the MPL-produced SZ2080 polymeric microstructures with regard to the physical aging processes during the post-production stage. The influence of aging on the polymeric microstructures was investigated by means of Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS). As a result, a time-dependent change in Young’s Modulus, plastic deformation, and adhesion and their correlation to the development in chemical composition of the surface of MPL-microstructures are evaluated. The results presented here are valuable for the application of MPL-fabricated 3D objects in general, but especially in medical technology as they give detailed information of the physical and chemical time-dependent dynamic behavior of MPL-printed surfaces and thus their suitability and performance in biological systems.
Highlights
Three-dimensional printing technologies have been gaining popularity for several decades due to their versatility, ease of use, and affordable prices
The results presented here are valuable for the application of Multiphoton Lithography (MPL)-fabricated 3D objects in general, but especially in medical technology as they give detailed information of the physical and chemical time-dependent dynamic behavior of MPL-printed surfaces and their suitability and performance in biological systems
The accuracy of the fabrication can be observed in the Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) micrographs of SZ2080 cubic microstructures after Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) force–distance curves (FDC) analysis (Figure 2)
Summary
Three-dimensional printing technologies have been gaining popularity for several decades due to their versatility, ease of use, and affordable prices. Despite the wide range of applications and inherent advantages of each technique, they still struggle with limited manufacturing control and insufficient resolution [4,5,6], often leading to objects with significant fragility [7,8]. The Multiphoton Lithography (MPL) technique has been shown to overcome most of these drawbacks. This state-of-the-art technique is based on the non-linear absorption of two or more photons, which enables polymerization in a small volume (voxel) of the photosensitive matter [9]. MPL is accurate and detailed due to its fine control of the fabrication process and non-linear nature, resulting in spatial resolution in the order of 0.1–1 μm [10]
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