Effect of printing parameters on the extrusion 3D printing of oleogel-based nutraceuticals

One of the most recent applications of oleogels is their use as materials for extrusion-based 3D printing (3DP-EXT). The aim of this work was to study the effects of varying the amount of extruded material (Flow), the extruder movement speed (Speed), and the build platform temperature (TP) on the structural and mechanical properties of nutraceutical oral solid forms obtained by 3DP-EXT using a mixture of monoglyceride oleogel and phytosterols. The weight of printed solid forms was only affected by Flow; the effect being directly proportional, a 30% decrease in Flow generated a 30% lighter form. Solid forms with dimensions similar to the CAD design and formed by an oleogel with high self-supporting capacity were obtained at the lowest TP and Speed settings (8 degrees C and 1 mm/s, respectively). Hardness was significantly affected by TP as it was able to modify the microstructure of the solid form. It decreased by 37% when TP increased from 8 to 20 degrees C. This study confirms the importance of evaluating printing process parameters when developing products using 3DP-EXT.