Potential and Limitations of Nanocelluloses as Components in Biocomposite Inks for Three-Dimensional Bioprinting and for Biomedical Devices

Three-dimensional (3D) printing has rapidly emerged as a new technology with a wide range of applications that includes biomedicine. Some common 3D printing methods are based on the suitability of biopolymers to be extruded through a nozzle to construct a 3D structure layer by layer. Nanocelluloses with specific rheological characteristics are suitable components to form inks for 3D printing. This review considers various nanocelluloses that have been proposed for 3D printing with a focus on the potential advantages, limitations, and requirements when used for biomedical devices and when used in contact with the human body.