Researchers Mimic Bone to 3D Print Fracture-Resistant Material
19th June 2013
Bones are made of collagen and a mineral — soft and brittle materials, respectively. But combine the two into a bone and they become much stronger. The mineral provides structure while collagen distributes energy over a larger area.
The two interlock in complicated ways, so first the researchers modeled a bone on a computer. Software translated this into a design readable by a Stratasys 3D printer capable of printing with two materials. Within hours, the researchers had their synthetic bone. The 3D printer produced a sheet of polymer about half the size of a piece of paper and one-eighth inch thick. Hard polymer formed the hard bricks of mineral while soft polymer worked as flexible collagen mortar. The material was as tough as bone and more than 20 times stronger than printed polymers that resembled just collagen or mineral, the paper said.