Stereolithography 3D Printing of a Heat Exchanger for Advanced Temperature Control in Wire Myography

We report the additive manufacturing of a heat-exchange device that can be used as a cooling accessory in a wire myograph. Wire myography is used for measuring vasomotor responses in small resistance arteries; however, the commercially available devices are not capable of active cooling. Here, we critically evaluated a transparent resin material, in terms of mechanical, structural, and thermal behavior. Tensile strength tests (67.66 +/- 1.31 MPa), Charpy impact strength test (20.70 +/- 2.30 kJ/m(2)), and Shore D hardness measurements (83.0 +/- 0.47) underlined the mechanical stability of the material, supported by digital microscopy, which revealed a glass-like structure. Differential scanning calorimetry with thermogravimetry analysis and thermal conductivity measurements showed heat stability until ~250 degrees C and effective heat insulation. The 3D-printed heat exchanger was tested in thermophysiology experiments measuring the vasomotor responses of rat tail arteries at different temperatures (13, 16, and 36 degrees C). The heat-exchange device was successfully used as an accessory of the wire myograph system to cool down the experimental chambers and steadily maintain the targeted temperatures. We observed temperature-dependent differences in the vasoconstriction induced by phenylephrine and KCl. In conclusion, the transparent resin material can be used in additive manufacturing of heat-exchange devices for biomedical research, such as wire myography. Our animal experiments underline the importance of temperature-dependent physiological mechanisms, which should be further studied to understand the background of the thermal changes and their consequences.

Automated summary

We have developed a transparent resin material for additive manufacturing of a heat-exchange device in a wire myograph system. The material exhibits good mechanical and thermal stability, making it suitable for use in biomedical research. Animal experiments show that temperature has an impact on vasoconstriction mechanisms, highlighting the importance of studying temperature-dependent physiological processes.