Supervisors: Dr. S. Bakalis, Dr. L. Grover
Evolution of existing printing technologies has resulted to low cost processing tools that could be exploited from the consumer good and biotech industries. Preliminary work has demonstrated that it is possible to to modify commercially available printers to create two dimensional gel structures. The possibility to extend this work to produce advanced three dimensional structures will make a breakthrough in the technology available to produce consumer goods and biomimetic structures, e.g. the technology could be used for distributive manufacturing processing.
In this work will building upon existing three dimensional soft solid structures will be produced by obtaining a detailed understanding of the physical processes during printing. A range of structures would be then produced, e.g. encapsulates containing active ingredients, living cell cultures.
Indicative objectives would include:
1) Modify existing system to allow for printing of three dimensional structures combining a range of biopolymer
2) Quantify forces during printing and their effect on the printed structures
3) Identify the effect of formulation on the printed structures
4) Produce a range of structures such as capsules and gel structures containing cells
For further information please contact Dr S Bakalis on s.bakalis@bham.ac.uk
