Additive manufacturing application in the development of biopolymers with functional properties

The skin plays an important role in protecting the body; however, burns compromise its function. This study presents the synthesis of biopolymer dressings using additive manufacturing. An extrusion system was designed in SolidWorks to be adapted to a 3D printer and to inject a bio ink based on starch, chitosan, nanoparticles, and an anti-inflammatory extract. Through green synthesis, zinc oxide nanoparticles with banana and orange extracts were obtained, confirming their formation at 368 nm via UV-visible spectroscopy. Additionally, the active compounds in the arnica extract were identified via IR analysis. The results show that the printed dressings are more stable and uniform than those made manually. It was concluded that the bio-inks retain their mechanical properties at 4°C, making them suitable for tissue regeneration.