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Photothermal response and shape memory 4D biomedical devices based on composites comprising pla and graphene
WO2022162260
This invention concerns a printing process for 4D biomedical prosthetic devices based on the combination of polylactic acid (PLA) and bioceramics with the incorporation of materials from the graphene family. These devices have properties that can be modified by external stimuli to adapt to specific therapeutic needs.
This composite, and the biomedical prosthetic devices made from it, solve the technical problem in the prior art of how to provide biomedical 4D prosthetic devices whose properties (size, drug release, temperature, etc.) can be altered by external stimuli. Our technology offers a customised solution for the manufacture of ad hoc elements for the needs of specific patients. It enables the manufacture of biomedical devices with new functionalities and opens up a wide range of new applications.
The fabrication process is based on 3D printing techniques and allows the creation of devices with 4D characteristics, that is, with the ability to have its properties modified by external stimuli once the material has been printed. The incorporation of graphene oxide (GO) confers the ability to absorb IR radiation, allowing to induce a controlled heating of the material when it is illuminated with a laser.
Photo-induced hyperthermia allows controlled modification of the shape or size of the device in a reversible or permanent way and, if necessary, control the release of drugs that may be conjugated, or encapsulated, in the device. This technology also allows a controlled degradation of the biomedical device according to clinical applications.