# Electric Field-Driven Melt Jetting Polycaprolactone Rotational Printing of Fully Degradable Vascular Stents and Mechanical Characterization

## TL;DR

This study introduces a new 3D printing method to create fully degradable vascular stents with improved mechanical properties.

## Contribution

The novel electric field-driven melt jetting technique enables precise fabrication of polycaprolactone scaffolds with controlled mechanical behavior.

## Key findings

- Scaffolds exhibit triphasic tensile behavior with 38% enhanced peak load in 5 mm structures due to superior bonding.
- Fractography reveals brittle fracture at stress-concentrated nodes and ductile behavior in straight segments.
- Compression tests show increased load-bearing and elastic recovery in larger scaffolds.

## Abstract

Addressing technical challenges in personalized fabrication and mechanical regulation of bioresorbable vascular scaffolds, this study pioneers an electric field-driven melt jetting rotational printing technique to fabricate polycaprolactone (PCL) scaffolds (Ø3–8 mm). Multiscale characterization confirms a rhombic mesh macrostructure with uniform fibers and fusion-enhanced nodal junctions, demonstrating synergistic control of electrohydrodynamic forces and surface tension over microfiber deposition. Mechanical testing reveals triphasic tensile behavior (elastic-plastic-fracture), where 5 mm scaffolds exhibit 38% enhanced peak load due to superior interfacial bonding and densified geometry, while 8 mm counterparts suffer premature failure from structural weakening. Fractography identifies brittle fracture initiation at stress-concentrated nodes versus ductile dominance in straight segments, confirming co-regulation by intrinsic material properties and architecture. Compression tests demonstrate characteristic load-holding-recovery behavior, with 20% increased load-bearing capacity and enhanced elastic recovery in larger scaffolds. This work establishes a structure–property correlation framework for optimizing degradable vascular implants, providing novel methodologies and theoretical foundations for clinical compatibility.