Fugitive inks for direct-write assembly of three-dimensional microvascular networks

Direct-write assembly of three-dimensional (3D) scaffolds that retain their shape during fabrication and subsequent infiltration with an epoxy matrix are made possible by a new fugitive ink based on a binary mixture of a microcrystalline wax and a lower molecular weight organic compound. Removal of the ink creates a 3D network of interconnected microchannels within the matrix (see Figure).