Molded articles are disclosed herein, the molded article comprising a polysaccharide, wherein the polysaccharide comprises i) poly alpha-1,3-glucan; ii) poly alpha-1,3-1,6-glucan; iii) a graft copolymer that comprises (A) a backbone comprising dextran with a weight-average molecular weight (Mw) of at least about 100000 Daltons, and (B) poly alpha-1,3-glucan side chains comprising at least about 95% alpha-1,3-glucosidic linkages; or iv) a composition comprising a poly alpha-1,3-glucan ester compound as disclosed herein. Optionally, the molded articles can further comprise a plasticizer and/or starch. The molded articles can be useful as a container, a handle, packaging, a tray, a bottle, a cup, a sheet, a disposable food packaging item, an automotive part, a casing for an electronic device, or a toy.

A device for producing microstructures, particularly microneedles and more particularly microneedle arrays, including a female mold that has, on a top side, at least one in particular conical depressed portion for producing a microstructure. The female mold is, for example, in the form of a silicone cap and is connected to a hollow cylinder in particular via a holding element. A plunger is disposed movably inside the hollow cylinder.

Systems, apparatus and methods for producing objects with cryogenic 3D printing with controllable micro and macrostructure with potential applications in tissue engineering, drug delivery, and the food industry. The technology can produce complex structures with controlled morphology when the printed 3D object is immersed in a liquid coolant, whose upper surface is maintained at the same level as the highest deposited layer of the object. This ensures that the computer-controlled process of freezing is controlled precisely and already printed frozen layers remain at a constant temperature. The technology controls the temperature, flow rate and volume of the printed fluid emitted by the dispenser that has X-Y positional translation and conditions at the interface between the dispenser and coolant surface. The technology can also control the temperature of the pool of liquid coolant and the vertical position of the printing surface and pool of coolant liquid.

A composite includes a polymer network including pectin or a pectin derivative; a low-molecular compound having a hydrophilic group in the polymer network; and a polyvalent metal ion coordinated with an anion present in the polymer chain of the polymer network.

A method of foam production is described. The method includes providing a foam precursor including one or more components, the one or more components including at least one of chitin, chitosan, or chitosan oligosaccharide and a solvent. The method further comprises exposing the foam precursor to radiation. The radiation is of a wavelength to heat the foam precursor. A system for foam produced is described, the system including a mixer configured to output a foam precursor including one or more components. The one or more components include at least one of chitin, chitosan, or chitosan oligosaccharide. The system further includes a radiation emitting system positioned to receive the foam precursor from the mixer and expose the foam precursor to radiation to heat the foam precursor to form a solid foam.

A method for preparing a flexible sol-gel polishing block, the method comprises: (1) adding a gel agent and a 20 μm diamond abrasive into deionized water, and stirring to even to obtain a first material; (2) adding carbon fiber into the first material obtained in the step 1, and mixing to even to obtain a second material; (3) injecting the second material obtained in the step 2 into a mold, and curing to obtain a cured gel; and (4) drying the cured gel to obtain the flexible sol-gel polishing block.

A needle-shaped structure includes a needle-shaped projection and a support substrate supporting the projection wherein the projection contains at least a chitosan and an organic acid, places a low burden on a living body and is able to keep the microscopic form after puncture into the skin.

A method of moving materials comprises: flowing a first fluid in an axial direction, the first fluid characterized by inertial forces dominating viscous forces of the first fluid; flowing a second fluid in the axial direction, the first and second fluids miscible with one another and the first and second fluids having an interface region therebetween; permitting a reaction to create a reaction product in the interface region, the reaction product mitigating flow-disrupting mixing between the first and second fluids.

In one aspect, a method includes providing support material within which the structure is fabricated, depositing, into the support material, structure material to form the fabricated structure, and removing the support material to release the fabricated structure from the support material. The provided support material is stationary at an applied stress level below a threshold stress level and flows at an applied stress level at or above the threshold stress level during fabrication of the structure. The provided support material is configured to mechanically support at least a portion of the structure and to prevent deformation of the structure during the fabrication of the structure. The deposited structure material is suspended in the support material at a location where the structure material is deposited. The structure material comprises a fluid that transitions to a solid or semi-solid state after deposition of the structure material.

The present disclosure relates to an ultrasound phantom for a focused ultrasound wave. More specifically, the present invention provides an ultrasound phantom which mimics a body so as to correspond to a speed of sound in the body, in which agarose, sucrose, polydiacetylene vesicle, and distilled water are mixed, and a specific part onto which an ultrasound wave is irradiated by a focused ultrasound transducer is gradually discolored in accordance with a temperature.