DSM Somos®, a leading developer of stereolithography (SL) resins for
rapid prototyping and manufacturing, has provided a unique material for
helping researchers at the University of Delaware model the structure and
performance of human lungs. It is hoped that the research project, funded by
Philip Morris, will be used to create new medical delivery systems for
illnesses such as asthma and, potentially, new types of drugs such as a
needle-less form of insulin.
Under the direction of Dr. Ajay L. Prasad, the University is attempting to
document the details of the breathing process and, specifically, how air
travels once inside the lungs. To create the models of the lungs themselves,
the research team turned to the DSM Somos resin, WaterShed® 11120.
"The basic geometry of the conducting portion of the lungs, though fairly
static from one human to the next, is quite complicated, " says graduate
student researcher Frank Fresconi. In addition to being able to capture a
high degree of structural detail, the lung models also need to be transparent
so as to allow lasers to illuminate the flow of liquid through the different
regions while a high-resolution camera simultaneously captures the process on
film.
DSM Somos® WaterShed® 11120 was the resin of choice to create the models.
WaterShed’s transparency allows excellent visualization of the fluid flow
needed for data gathering and, as an added benefit, the resin's water
resistant properties help the models tolerate extended periods of fluid flow
during experiments. WaterShed's ABS-like properties, including high stiffness
and high elongation at break, also allow for the different parts of the model
to be snapped together. The final model was created from a number of
different pieces joined together to create the highest degree of anatomical
detail possible.
University researchers have been pleased with the results. "Without a
stereolithography model allowing us to create an exact replica of the
conducting region of the lungs—and the performance properties of Somos
WaterShed in particular—we would not be able to execute this experiment as
designed," says Fresconi. "We're thrilled with the data being collected."
The research project is slated to go through several more phases beyond the
data collection before final results are published.
