Patent details
Status
European patent filed
Inventors
Javier LLorca Martínez, Jennifer Patterson, Jon Mikel Molina Aldareguia, Andrés Díaz, William Solorzano, Alexander Kopp, Simon Poestges
Application number
EP25153513.4
Applicant
IMDEA Materials Institute, Technical University of Madrid and MEOTEC GmbH
Priority date
23/01/2025
Transfer opportunity
Technology License (outside products based on bio-degradable metals for biomedical applications)
Summary
A biodegradable shape-changing structure capable of controlled motion or transformation over time. By combining materials with different degradation rates, the structure enables programmable shape evolution without the need for external actuation. This concept enables a new class of self-deploying or self-expanding medical and engineering devices, bridging the gap between 4D printing and smart biomaterials.
Description
Two interlinked components (a temporary, rapidly degrading section that maintains a deformed configuration and a permanent, elastic section that recovers its original shape once released). The degradation of the first component triggers either gradual or stepwise actuation of the second, enabling autonomous and predictable morphing. This principle can be applied to implants, scaffolds, and adaptive devices that evolve within biological or environmental conditions, reducing or eliminating the need for secondary surgical interventions.
Advantages
- Self-actuating design – no need for external power or control.
- Programmable timing and motion, defined by material degradation rates.
- Fully bioresorbable options – potential for devices that safely disappear after use.
- Adaptable to additive manufacturing, allowing patient-specific geometries.
- Wide applicability across biomedical, aerospace, and soft robotics fields.
Contact
Technology Transfer and Innovation Office, IMDEA Materials Institute
Email: techtransfer@imdeamaterials.org
Telephone: +34 91 5493422