Adaptive 4D‐Printed Vascular Stents With Low‐Temperature‐Activated and Intelligent Deployment
Abstract
ABSTRACT The development of patient‐specific, adaptively deployable vascular stents is crucial for advancing minimally invasive cardiovascular therapies. Here, we report the fabrication of microarchitected coronary artery stents via projection micro‐stereolithography (PµSL) 4D printing using a polycaprolactone (PCL)‐based shape memory polymer (SMP) composite. By incorporating diethyl phthalate (DEP) as a plasticizer, we precisely modulated the thermal transition temperature (T tran ) to about 37°C, enabling rapid and autonomous shape recovery under physiological conditions without external heating. The resulting stents exhibit a favorable balance between mechanical flexibility and strength. Finite element simulations validated the uniform stress distribution and structural robustness. A viscoelastic stress relaxation model confirmed the ability of the stents to dissipate internal stress over time, promoting long‐term biomechanical compliance. In vitro studies demonstrated excellent cytocompatibility. In vivo implantation experiments in mice further confirmed the possibility of clinical application. Overall, this work provides a robust platform for adaptive vascular stents with programmable thermoresponsive behavior and intelligent deployment, offering significant potential for personalized treatment in anatomically complex vascular structures.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Advanced Materials and Mechanics
Soft Robotics and Applications
3D Printing in Biomedical Research
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Advanced Functional Materials
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Volume
- 36
- Issue
- 27
- Publication date
- 15 January 2026
- Language
- EN