Surface functionalization of toner particles for three-dimensional laser-printing in biomaterial applications

Electro photography ("laser printing") has emerged to one of the leading two-dimensional (2D) print technologies during the last decades. However, in contrast to the well-established ink jet process, the examination of three-dimensional (3D) electro photography has just been started. A newly developed non-contact fusing procedure based on click chemistry methodology has been developed to reduce the mechanical as well as thermal stress during the curing. The inorganic SiOx-coating of the toner particles has been modified for the prospective attachment of the cell-growth promoting amino acid sequence Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) for an improved cell attachment behavior onto the hydrophobic polymeric material.