Direct ink writing of microvascular networks

The next generation of self-healing polymeric materials will allow multiple healing events through the integration of complex three-dimensional microvascular networks. Traditional techniques for creating these networks, such as soft lithography, do not readily scale to the third dimension. New approaches must therefore be developed to enable the facile construction of three-dimensional microvascular networks. Here, we discuss recent developments in the direct-write assembly of both planar and 3D networks embedded within polymer matrices via robotic deposition of fugitive organic inks. [1,2]