Digital light processing of photoresponsive and programmable hydrogels.

ABSTRACT: Light-mediated manipulation of hydrogel physicochemical properties is attractive for numerous applications, yet the processing of such hydrogels via vat photopolymerization [e.g., digital light processing (DLP)] is challenging as photoresponsive chemistries may be consumed during printing. Here, we report a facile strategy to DLP print hydrogels that combines short light exposures to set the shape of a printed object and complementary dark polymerization to continue the reaction of macromers without disturbing photoresponsive groups. Postprinting, hydrogels are then programmed using single- or multiphoton light and photoinitiator-free reactions: tetrazole-alkene click reaction (for photofunctionalization), dithiolane ring-opening polymerization (for photostiffening), and o-nitrobenzyl clea

SUBMITTER: Dhand AP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12333685 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature