Chapter 2
Triply Periodic Minimal Surfaces (TPMS) for the Generation
of Porous Architectures Using Stereolithography
Sebastien B. G. Blanquer and Dirk W. Grijpma
Abstract
A new generation of sophisticated tissue engineering scaffolds are developed using the periodicity of
trigonometric equations to generate triply periodic minimal surfaces (TPMS). TPMS architectures display
minimal surface energy that induce typical pore features and surface curvatures. Here we described a series
of TPMS geometries and developed a procedure to build such scaffolds by stereolithography using
biocompatible and biodegradable photosensitive resins.
Key words Triply periodic minimal surfaces (TPMS), Minimal surface energy, Trigonometric equations, Stereolithography, Scaffold, Biodegradable polymer, Photosensitive resins
1 Introduction
Scaffold design and pore geometries play a major role in cell and
tissue organization in tissue-engineered constructs. It is becoming
clear that the high biological and functional complexity of the
human tissues with specific (micro)architecture and vascular networks may require more specific and sophisticated scaffold geometries using appropriate multifunctional materials. The expansion of
additive manufacturing technologies in the development of sophisticated scaffolds remains in constant evolution. Among the existing
additive manufacturing techniques, stereolithography (SL) is
recognized for its remarkable efficiency and considerable advantages in terms of versatility in manufacturing, high accuracy, and
quickness. It offers unique ways to precisely control substrate architecture [1, 2]. The principle of the fabrication is based on a spatially
controlled solidification by photopolymerization of monomer or
prepolymer resins, in liquid or viscous state, using a single-photon
source. In order to build the desired 3D structures in a layer-bylayer manner with SL, it is necessary to initially design the 3D
object from a “3D computer-assisted design” (CAD) file.
Alberto Rainer and Lorenzo Moroni (eds.), Computer-Aided Tissue Engineering: Methods and Protocols,
Methods in Molecular Biology, vol. 2147, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-0716-0611-7_2,
© Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2021
19
Triply Periodic Minimal Surfaces (TPMS) for the Generation
of Porous Architectures Using Stereolithography
Sebastien B. G. Blanquer and Dirk W. Grijpma
Abstract
A new generation of sophisticated tissue engineering scaffolds are developed using the periodicity of
trigonometric equations to generate triply periodic minimal surfaces (TPMS). TPMS architectures display
minimal surface energy that induce typical pore features and surface curvatures. Here we described a series
of TPMS geometries and developed a procedure to build such scaffolds by stereolithography using
biocompatible and biodegradable photosensitive resins.
Key words Triply periodic minimal surfaces (TPMS), Minimal surface energy, Trigonometric equations, Stereolithography, Scaffold, Biodegradable polymer, Photosensitive resins
1 Introduction
Scaffold design and pore geometries play a major role in cell and
tissue organization in tissue-engineered constructs. It is becoming
clear that the high biological and functional complexity of the
human tissues with specific (micro)architecture and vascular networks may require more specific and sophisticated scaffold geometries using appropriate multifunctional materials. The expansion of
additive manufacturing technologies in the development of sophisticated scaffolds remains in constant evolution. Among the existing
additive manufacturing techniques, stereolithography (SL) is
recognized for its remarkable efficiency and considerable advantages in terms of versatility in manufacturing, high accuracy, and
quickness. It offers unique ways to precisely control substrate architecture [1, 2]. The principle of the fabrication is based on a spatially
controlled solidification by photopolymerization of monomer or
prepolymer resins, in liquid or viscous state, using a single-photon
source. In order to build the desired 3D structures in a layer-bylayer manner with SL, it is necessary to initially design the 3D
object from a “3D computer-assisted design” (CAD) file.
Alberto Rainer and Lorenzo Moroni (eds.), Computer-Aided Tissue Engineering: Methods and Protocols,
Methods in Molecular Biology, vol. 2147, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-0716-0611-7_2,
© Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2021
19