Biomedical Engineering Applications Research Articles

Shape Memory Hydrogels for Biomedical Applications.

The ability of shape memory polymers to change shape upon external stimulation makes them exceedingly useful in various areas, from biomedical engineering to soft robotics. Especially, shape memory hydrogels (SMHs) are well-suited for biomedical applications due to their inherent biocompatibility, excellent shape morphing performance, tunable physiochemical properties, and responsiveness to a wide range of stimuli (e.g., thermal, chemical, electrical, light). This review provides an overview of the unique features of smart SMHs from their fundamental working mechanisms to types of SMHs classified on the basis of applied stimuli and highlights notable clinical applications. Moreover, the potential of SMHs for surgical, biomedical, and tissue engineering applications is discussed. Finally, this review summarizes the current challenges in synthesizing and fabricating reconfigurable hydrogel-based interfaces and outlines future directions for their potential in personalized medicine and clinical applications.

A comprehensive review of blood component detection utilizing One-Dimensional, Two-Dimensional, and photonic crystal fiber biosensors

This comprehensive review investigates the diverse landscape of blood component detection through the one-dimensional, two-dimensional, and photonic crystal fiber biosensors. Each biosensor, dedicated to specific blood components, is scrutinized in detail, with a focus on key parameters such as Quality Factor (Q) coefficient Loss, Figure of Merit (FOM), and Detection Limit (DL). The study discerns notable advancements in sensitivity and confinement loss within the realm of photonic crystal fiber sensors, attributing these improvements to recent structural modifications. The findings contribute valuable insights into the state-of-the-art techniques employed in blood component detection, paving the way for enhanced biosensor technologies in biomedical applications.

Evolution of 3d printing technology in fabrication of microfluidic devices and biological applications: a comprehensive review

Lab-on-a-chip or LOC is a term that is used to describe microfluidic devices that integrate multiple analyte detection, which are normally carried out in a laboratory, into one micro-chip unit and may have applications in diverse fields such as electronics, medicine and biomedical domains. Even though microfluidics has advanced greatly during the past decade due to increased needs for portability, reduced sample requirement and multiple analyte detection capabilities biological research has not adopted the technology at the required pace. This may be owing to the time-consuming and expensive process involved in the microfabrication of biochips, the requirement of specialised setup facilities and the extremely high cost associated with microfluidics as compared to conventional technologies. In recent years, three-dimensional (3D) printing has piqued curiosity in the scientific community. It has the potential to create complex, high-resolution structures and that too in a short timeframe depending upon device complexity. This could inspire progressive research in microfluidics, particularly finding applications in biomedical engineering and point-of-care diagnostics. This article gives an overview of how 3D printing aids in the manufacture of microfluidic devices for biological applications, as well as the existing 3D printing methods which are utilised for fabrication and the future perspective in the development of microfluidic devices.

Comparative Study on the Lubrication Mechanism and Performance of Two Representative Ionic and Nonionic Self-Adhesive Polymer Coatings.

Surface modification of lubricating coatings on biomedical devices is a pivotal strategy to improve the overall performance and clinical efficacy, significantly reducing friction between devices and human tissues and mitigating tissue damage during intervention and long-term implantation. Recently, various hydrophilic polymeric materials have been used for achieving surface functionalization, endowing the biomedical device with excellent superlubrication performance. N-Vinylpyrrolidone (NVP) and 2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC) are two typical representatives of nonionic and zwitterionic materials. However, there is still a research gap in a comparative study of the lubrication mechanisms and properties between them. In this study, a bioinspired and dopamine-assisted codeposition technique was used to fabricate biomimetic hydrophilic coatings, including P(DMA-NVP) and P(DMA-MPC), on polyurethane. To achieve a thorough comparative analysis of the self-adhesive coating performance, 3 M ratios of the copolymers were synthesized and comprehensive material evaluations were conducted. Additionally, surface morphology, hydrophilicity, and lubrication at both the microscale and macroscale were performed. It was found that both hydrophilic coatings exhibited good stability. The P(DMA-MPC) coating, due to the ability to attract and bind a large number of water molecules, demonstrated superior lubrication effects compared to the P(DMA-NVP) coating. The study provides an in-depth understanding of the lubrication behavior of the self-adhesive coatings to enhance the functionality and application in biomedical engineering.

Three-Dimensional Printing Strategies for Enhanced Hydrogel Applications.

This study explores the dynamic field of 3D-printed hydrogels, emphasizing advancements and challenges in customization, fabrication, and functionalization for applications in biomedical engineering, soft robotics, and tissue engineering. It delves into the significance of tailored biomedical scaffolds for tissue regeneration, the enhancement in bioinks for realistic tissue replication, and the development of bioinspired actuators. Additionally, this paper addresses fabrication issues in soft robotics, aiming to mimic biological structures through high-resolution, multimaterial printing. In tissue engineering, it highlights efforts to create environments conducive to cell migration and functional tissue development. This research also extends to drug delivery systems, focusing on controlled release and biocompatibility, and examines the integration of hydrogels with electronic components for bioelectronic applications. The interdisciplinary nature of these efforts highlights a commitment to overcoming material limitations and optimizing fabrication techniques to realize the full potential of 3D-printed hydrogels in improving health and well-being.

Buoyancy driven bioconvective Casson nanofluid flow over a vertical stretching cylinder in Darcy–Forchheimer permeable medium with Arrhenius activation energy and chemical reaction

A mathematical framework is conceived to analyze the flow of Darcy–Forchheimer Casson nanofluid around a vertically stretchable cylinder, taking into account the convective boundary conditions. The heat and mass transport phenomena are visualized in the existence of activation energy and gyrotactic microorganisms with buoyancy effects. Additionally, an external magnetic field is applied to the flow problem. This particular model finds applications in biomedical engineering, the oil and gas industry, heat exchangers and thermal systems, environmental engineering, and renewable energy. By employing suitable transformations to transform partial differential equations into ordinary ones, the MATLAB function bvp4c package is utilized to numerically solve the equations. The findings presented through graphs illustrate the influence of various parameters on velocity, heat and mass transfer, and the density of gyrotactic microorganisms. The analysis revealed that fluid momentum decreases with increasing porosity numbers, while higher activation energy values enhance concentration. Moreover, an increase in the Peclet number reduces the microorganism’s distribution. Tables compute the motile microorganism’s density, Nusselt number, and Sherwood number. A substantial rise in activation energy prominently increases concentration, accompanied by a decrease in the Sherwood number. The density of microorganisms rises with higher values of the curvature parameter, Prandtl number, and Brownian motion parameter, but decreases with an increasing Hartman number. Noteworthy concordance is noted when juxtaposing the findings of this investigation with those of earlier scholarly research.

Synthesis of phosphate hydrogels with excellent swelling behavior prepared by ascorbic acid -mediated ARGET ATRP

This manuscript explores the synthesis of hydrogels through reversible deactivation radical polymerization (RDRP) methods, specifically, activators regenerated by electron transfer atom transfer radical polymerization (ARGET ATRP) and Cu0-mediated ATRP. These techniques are known to offer improved control over polymer network structures due to their slow polymerization kinetics. However, these methods have historically been challenging to apply to stimuli-responsive polymers, such as those with acidic or basic moieties. In this study, the direct synthesis of poly(2-(methacryloyloxy) ethyl phosphate) (PMOEP), a phosphate-pendant hydrogel, was investigated in aqueous media by both ascorbic acid (AsA)-mediated ARGET ATRP and Cu0-mediated ATRP. 2-(methacryloyloxy) ethyl phosphate (MOEP) was utilized as the active monomer with tris(2-pyridylmethyl) amine (TPMA) as the ligand. A unique feature of this work is that the diene moiety inherently present in the commercial monomer, bis[2-(methacryloyloxy) ethyl] phosphate (BMOEP), served as the crosslinking agent to obtain the novel PMOEP hydrogel. Formulations were tuned to optimize the swelling characteristics of the hydrogels, with the restriction that the hydrogels should swell homogeneously without fracture. Importantly, using AsA as the reducing agent in the ARGET ATRP reaction resulted in improved homogeneity and enhanced swelling properties of the hydrogel. Furthermore, tuning the target degree of polymerization (Dp) ([monomer]:[initiator]) had a significant impact on swelling characteristics. Specifically, PMOEP hydrogels synthesized via ARGET ATRP with a target Dp of 300 and 1 mM CuII catalyst demonstrated outstanding water absorption capacity of more than 2500% (relative to the dry mass) in phosphate buffer solution (PBS) at pH 7.4 and over 6000% in pure water. The morphology of these hydrogels was imaged using field emission environmental scanning electron microscopy (FE-ESEM) and the chemical composition was examined using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Furthermore, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analysis was performed to investigate the conversion rate of monomer during Cu0-mediated ATRP. To the authors’ knowledge, the synthesis of a 100% phosphate-pendant hydrogel using AsA-mediated ARGET ATRP and an internal phosphodiester crosslinking moiety without dilution or comonomer, has not been reported previously. This facile method for synthesizing and controlling phosphate-based hydrogel properties also provides an opportunity to include additional functional groups and holds significant promise for applications in biomedical engineering, agriculture, and membrane separations.

Numerical exploration of the peristaltic flow of MHD Jeffrey nanofluid through a non-uniform porous channel with Arrhenius activation energy

This article describes the peristaltic flow of a Jeffrey nanofluid through a vertical divergent channel subject to the impacts of thermal radiation, heat generation, activation energy, and an angled magnetic field. Coupled governing non-linear differential equations are obtained by approximating the system with the lubrication approximation. Further, distributions of the velocity, temperature, concentration, heat, and mass transfer rates at the channel wall are all calculated numerically. In addition, the consequences of pertinent physical parameters on the flow quantities are analyzed via tabular and graphical illustrations. It is noted that the velocity distribution exhibits an increasing behavior for thermal and solute Grashof numbers. Augmentation in axial velocity is noticed by escalating the values of the Hall current parameter. For greater values of the activation energy parameter, the concentration and mass transfer rate were elevated. The present study has a wide range of applications in biomedical engineering and environmental engineering.

Integration of Febio as an Instructional Tool in the Undergraduate Biomechanics Curriculum.

Computer simulations play an important role in a range of biomedical engineering applications. Thus, it is important that biomedical engineering students engage with modeling in their undergraduate education and establish an understanding of its practice. In addition, computational tools enhance active learning and complement standard pedagogical approaches to promote student understanding of course content. Herein, we describe the development and implementation of learning modules for computational modeling and simulation (CM&S) within an undergraduate biomechanics course. We developed four CM&S learning modules that targeted predefined course goals and learning outcomes within the febio studio software. For each module, students were guided through CM&S tutorials and tasked to construct and analyze more advanced models to assess learning and competency and evaluate module effectiveness. Results showed that students demonstrated an increased interest in CM&S through module progression and that modules promoted the understanding of course content. In addition, students exhibited increased understanding and competency in finite element model development and simulation software use. Lastly, it was evident that students recognized the importance of coupling theory, experiments, and modeling and understood the importance of CM&S in biomedical engineering and its broad application. Our findings suggest that integrating well-designed CM&S modules into undergraduate biomedical engineering education holds much promise in supporting student learning experiences and introducing students to modern engineering tools relevant to professional development.

Thermal Analysis of a Casson Boundary Layer Flow over a Penetrable Stretching Porous Wedge

This work aims to analyze the Casson thermal boundary layer flow over an expanding wedge in a porous medium with convective boundary conditions and ohmic heating. Moreover, the effects of porosity and viscous dissipation are studied in detail and included in the analysis. The importance of this study is due to its applications in biomedical engineering where the analysis of behavior of non-Newtonian blood flow in arteries and veins is desired. Within the context of blood flow, it is also applicable to many other fields, for instance, radiative therapy, MHD generators, soil machines, melt-spinning, and insulation processes. The modeled problem is a set of PDEs, which is nondimensionalized to derive a nonlinear boundary value problem (BVP). The obtained BVP is solved using the shooting technique, endowed with the order four Runge-Kutta and Newton methods. The impact of different parameters on the momentum and temperature fields is investigated along with two important parameters of physical significance, i.e., the Nusselt number and the surface drag force. Results are validated, and an excellent agreement is seen for the parameters of interest using MATLAB built-in function bvp4c. A significant finding is that by increasing the Casson liquid parameter, the velocity decreases as the wedge expands quicker than the free stream velocity at R=2. However, the velocity increases for the case when R=0.1. A decrease in the Darcy number increases the temperature profile. Furthermore, the convective parameter accelerated the heat transmission rate, and a rise in the Prandtl number thickens the thermal boundary layer. The findings of this investigation contribute to problems in fluid dynamics and heat transfer that involve studying the behavior of a non-Newtonian fluid with Casson rheological properties near a solid porous wedge surface.

Fluid-reduced-solid interaction (FrSI): Physics- and projection-based model reduction for cardiovascular applications

Fluid-solid interaction (FSI) phenomena play an important role in many biomedical engineering applications. While FSI techniques and models have enabled detailed computational simulations of flow and tissue motion, the application of FSI can present challenges, particularly when data for constraining models is sparse and/or when fast computational simulations are required for assessment. In this paper, we propose a novel method for flexible-wall fluid dynamics in an ALE framework applicable for cardiovascular applications where adaptive fluid motion that emulates patient data is required. Efficiency and model simplicity are gained by a physics-based reduction to solid membrane formulations at the fluid-tissue interface combined with a Galerkin projection to a subspace spanned by boundary motion modes, leveraging snapshots observed from imaging data by use of Proper Orthogonal Decomposition (POD). The resulting fluid-reduced-solid interaction (FrSI) model is verified for a series of examples, illustrating efficacy and efficiency. Focusing on an idealized left ventricle model, we demonstrate homogenization of transmural active stress along with the capacity to accommodate prestress in the FrSI model, accounting for whole cycle mechanics by coupling to 0D pre- and afterload models (showing end-diastolic and end-systolic projected endocardial surface position errors of less than 1.5% and 3.5%, respectively). Further, we present strategies to compensate for the inherent approximation errors of the FrSI model, allowing for minimizing both the integral and spatial error between reduced and full-order model by re-calibrating parameters that govern diastolic and systolic function. Finally, the ability of FrSI to extrapolate to impaired system states (increased afterload, localized region of infarct) is shown, providing a simple yet effective strategy to enhance the POD subspace to further reduce errors. These results illustrate the potential of FrSI to streamline the simulation of hemodynamics in the heart and cardiovascular system.

Production of nanocellulose from lignocellulosic biomass and its potential applications: A review

<p>Lignocellulosic biomass is a complex natural polymer primarily composed of cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin, and various other chemical components. The cellulose in the lignocellulosic biomass can depolymerize into a nano-dimension biomaterial called nanocellulose, which possesses unique features with potential application in various fields. Nanocellulose production from lignocellulosic biomass has become the subject of extensive research in the last few decades in the fields of material sciences and biomedical engineering and has attracted the attention of scientists and technologists worldwide. This production faces many challenges in utilizing the cellulose from lignocellulosic biomasses and subsequent processing for their conversion into nanocellulosic materials and their further applications in various fields of science and technology. This current review not only focuses on the production of nanocellulose from lignocellulosic biomass through different production methods but also discusses various sources, types, properties, and their applications in material science and biomedical engineering. This research review certainly shows that in the future, nanocellulose has great potential to be used as a renewable source in the field of sustainable materials and nanocomposites.</p>

Wafer-Recyclable, Eco-Friendly, and Multiscale Dry Transfer Printing by Transferable Photoresist for Flexible Epidermal Electronics.

Flexible electronics have been of great interest in the past few decades for their wide-ranging applications in health monitoring, human-machine interaction, artificial intelligence, and biomedical engineering. Currently, transfer printing is a popular technology for flexible electronics manufacturing. However, typical sacrificial intermediate layer-based transfer printing through chemical reactions results in a series of challenges, such as time consumption and interface incompatibility. In this paper, we have developed a time-saving, wafer-recyclable, eco-friendly, and multiscale transfer printing method by using a stable transferable photoresist. Demonstration of photoresist with various, high-resolution, and multiscale patterns from the donor substrate of silicon wafer to different flexible polymer substrates without any damage is conducted using the as-developed dry transfer printing process. Notably, by utilizing the photoresist patterns as conformal masks and combining them with physical vapor deposition and dry lift-off processes, we have achieved in situ fabrication of metal patterns on flexible substrates. Furthermore, a mechanical experiment has been conducted to demonstrate the mechanism of photoresist transfer printing and dry lift-off processes. Finally, we demonstrated the application of in situ fabricated electrode devices for collecting electromyography and electrocardiogram signals. Compared to commercially available hydrogel electrodes, our electrodes exhibited higher sensitivity, greater stability, and the ability to achieve long-term health monitoring.

Review of Spider Silk Applications in Biomedical and Tissue Engineering.

This review will present the latest research related to the production and application of spider silk and silk-based materials in reconstructive and regenerative medicine and tissue engineering, with a focus on musculoskeletal tissues, and including skin regeneration and tissue repair of bone and cartilage, ligaments, muscle tissue, peripheral nerves, and artificial blood vessels. Natural spider silk synthesis is reviewed, and the further recombinant production of spider silk proteins. Research insights into possible spider silk structures, like fibers (1D), coatings (2D), and 3D constructs, including porous structures, hydrogels, and organ-on-chip designs, have been reviewed considering a design of bioactive materials for smart medical implants and drug delivery systems. Silk is one of the toughest natural materials, with high strain at failure and mechanical strength. Novel biomaterials with silk fibroin can mimic the tissue structure and promote regeneration and new tissue growth. Silk proteins are important in designing tissue-on-chip or organ-on-chip technologies and micro devices for the precise engineering of artificial tissues and organs, disease modeling, and the further selection of adequate medical treatments. Recent research indicates that silk (films, hydrogels, capsules, or liposomes coated with silk proteins) has the potential to provide controlled drug release at the target destination. However, even with clear advantages, there are still challenges that need further research, including clinical trials.

Silver nanoparticles in electrospun ethyl hydroxy ethyl cellulose-PVA Nanofiber: Synthesis, characterization and wound dressing applications

Electrospinning is a simple, cost-effective technique and a reproducible process for both synthetic and natural polymers. It is found to be an attractive tool for various applications in biomedical engineering, filtration, protective clothing, catalysis reactions and sensors. Non-ionic cellulose ethers namely Ethyl Hydroxy Ethyl Cellulose (EHEC) is an important polysaccharide which is non-toxic, biocompatible and biodegradable and finds applications as thickening/rheology control agents in paints, cosmetics, detergents, oil recovery and also in the biomedical area. Poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA) is a semi-crystalline hydrophilic polymer which is highly biocompatible and non-toxic having good thermal and mechanical properties and also high water solubility. Silver shows powerful antimicrobial activity and is non-toxic. It has been used to cure severe burns and chronic ulcers for many decades and is extensively used as an additive in various fields like prostheses, burn treatment, catheters, vascular grafts, dental resin components, ion exchange fibers, stainless steel materials, human skin and coating of medical devices. In the present work, EHEC/PVA nanofibers embedded with silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are studied for their antibacterial activity using both gram positive and gram negative bacteria. The nanofibers show increase in tensile properties with the addition of silver nano-particles. The AgNPs embedded EHEC/PVA nanofiber mats having 0.5% AgNPs were found to enhance the wound healing with no scar formation in wistar rats. The biological in-vitro and in-vivo studies support the potential of EHEC based nanofibers as excellent bio-materials for the treatment of severe burns and wounds. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the electrospinning of EHEC/PVA nanofibers for wound healing applications.

Bacterial cellulose as an ideal potential treatment for burn wounds: A comprehensive review.

Burn wound regeneration is a complex process, which has many serious challenges such as slow wound healing, secondary infection, and inflammation. Therefore, it is essential to utilise appropriate biomaterials to accelerate and guide the wound healing process. Bacterial cellulose (BC), a natural polymer synthesised by some bacteria, has attracted much attention for wound healing applications due to its unique properties including excellent physicochemical and mechanical properties, simple purification process, three-dimensional (3D) network structure similar to extracellular matrix, high purity, high water holding capacity and significant permeability to gas and liquid. BC's lack of antibacterial activity significantly limits its biomedical and tissue engineering application, but adding antimicrobial agents to it remarkably improves its performance in tissue regeneration applications. Burn wound healing is a complex long-lasting process. Using biomaterials in wound treatment has shown that they can satisfactorily accelerate wound healing. The purpose of this review is to elaborate on the importance of BC-based structures as one of the most widely used modern wound dressings in the treatment of burn wounds. In addition, the combination of various drugs, agents, cells and biomolecules with BC to expand its application in burn injury regeneration is discussed. Finally, the main challenges and future development direction of BC-based structures for burn wound repair are considered. The four most popular search engines PubMed/MEDLINE, Science Direct, Scopus and Google Scholar were used to help us find relevant papers. The most frequently used keywords were bacterial cellulose, BC-based biocomposite, wound healing, burn wound and vascular graft.

Strengthen oriented poly (L-lactic acid) monofilaments via mechanical training

Polymer materials have found extensive applications in the clinical and medical domains due to their exceptional biocompatibility and biodegradability. Compared to metallic counterparts, polymers, particularly Poly (L-lactic acid) (PLLA), are more suitable for fabricating biodegradable stents. As a viscoelastic material, PLLA monofilaments exhibit a creep phenomenon under sustained tensile stress. This study explores the use of creep to enhance the mechanical attributes of PLLA monofilaments. By subjecting the highly oriented monofilaments to controlled, constant force stretching, we achieved notable improvements in their mechanical characteristics. The results, as confirmed by tensile testing and dynamic mechanical analysis, revealed a remarkable 67 % increase in total elongation and over a 20 % rise in storage modulus post-mechanical training. Further microscopic analyses, including Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), revealed enhanced spacing and cavity formation. These mechanical advancements are attributed to the unraveling and a more orderly arrangement of molecular chains in the amorphous regions. This investigation offers a promising approach for augmenting the mechanical properties of PLLA monofilaments, potentially benefiting their application in biomedical engineering.

Future advances of artificial biosensor technology in biomedical applications

Recent advancements in synthetic biology have facilitated the concept of a cell-based and cell-free biosensing platform, which enables the identification of molecular signals encompassing metal/chemical to disease biomarkers. The artificial sensing incorporates the concept of both whole-cell and cell-free biosensing strategies, which include highly regulated natural and synthetic components to exhibit genetically encoded molecular sensing properties. These sensors utilize protein expression to release signalling molecules as the result of received input to facilitate the detection of analytes. Intending to use modified living cells or artificial cells in biosensing, the proposed study highlights the importance of cell-based and cell-free sensors in biomedical and diagnostics. The article's first section will explain the biosensing types including cell-free, cell-based, vesicle-based, and paper-based sensing where sensing relies on cell, cellular components, and cell-free systems which mostly involve transcriptional or translational machinery. It highlights the advantages, disadvantages, and challenges of advancing approaches. The second section of the article elaborates on the principle of sensing and the strategies involved. Though very few studies have been reported on this topic, therefore, the current article focuses on the artificial sensors that have been designed for medical and diagnostic purposes. The review also marks the current and future advancements in the field including artificial intelligence, nanotechnology, stem cells, and omics. Sensing recently has a big impact on disease diagnosis as well as drug development and targeted therapies. While newly developed biology-based diagnostics technologies still have high costs, require highly trained personnel, suffer stability issues and reduce sensor performance. Therefore, this review brings readers’ attention to advances and challenges in the following field and promotes the resolution of medical and diagnostics issues in the future.

Distinctive approach for MHD natural bioconvection flow of Reiner–Rivlin nano-liquid due to an isothermal sphere

The analysis of heat excess through non-Newtonian fluid is noticed proper and promising arena for biomedical technological applications than Newtonian liquid. Herein, a type of non-Newtonian (Reiner–Rivlin) nanomaterial has been scrutinized with gyrotactic microorganisms around an isothermal sphere with surface of zero mass flux. Being mindful of that the model of Buongiorno’s nanofluid is utilized. Non-dimensional formulas for the basic dimensional partial differential equation system are obtained using appropriate non-similarity transformations. MATLAB function bvp4c code is adopted to get the non-similar solutions. The computations disclosed that the velocity of Reiner–Rivlin nanofluid and its gradient accelerate away from the surface of sphere to infinity and reduces in proximity to the sphere surface for higher values of Reiner–Rivlin factor K. The rate of surface density transport, rate of surface heat transport, and gradient of velocity diminish as the stream wise coordinate boosts. As the problem is subjected to special circumstances, there is a remarkable agreement between the acquired and prior numerical calculations resulting from the comparison.

A review on polylactic acid‐based blends/composites and the role of compatibilizers in biomedical engineering applications

AbstractPoly(lactic acid) (PLA) is one of the most promising biopolymers extensively used in food, packaging, medical and pharmaceutical industries. It is due to favorable physicochemical properties, in‐situ hydrolytic degradation and well‐established processing parameters. However, in medical engineering applications, PLA shows some drawbacks like low cell adhesion, biological inertness, slow degradation rate and high acid inflammation. These shortcomings of pure PLA could be addressed by blending it with other bioresorbable materials and compatibilizers. This review provides comprehensive information on different PLA composites in the field of tissue engineering, implants, injury management and drug delivery systems. The PLA‐based composites are divided into four parts: PLA/polymer, PLA/metal, PLA/ceramic, and PLA/nanoparticles. It also investigates various synthesis process, role of different compatibilizers, in vitro studies and their in vivo applications.Highlights Review the trends of bioresorbable PLA blends/composites. Extensively focused on PLA blend with polymer, metal, ceramic, and nanoparticles. Role of reinforcement and compatibilizer to overcome shortcomings of PLA implant. Highlights advantages, limitations, and properties of different types of PLA implants. Discuss various clinical applications and future of PLA blends/composite scaffolds.