Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Polymer Research (IAP) and NMI Natural and Medical Sciences Institute have jointly developed a patent-pending biomimetic tissue substitute that uses 3D printing as its structural backbone, and is now ready for industrial translation.  The material, developed under the PolyKARD project, addresses one of biomedical engineering’s most persistent challenges: replicating the nonlinear mechanical behavior of natural tissue. Structures like the pericardium flex under light load and stiffen sharply under pressure, a response conventional polymers can approximate at one end, but not both. This new multilayer design does both. Structure as the Solution: How the Material Works The tissue substitute is built from three distinct layers at Fraunhofer IAP’s Potsdam Science Park, each contributing a specific function. A dense polyurethane acrylate polymer film forms the base. On top of it, a wavy metastructure is deposited via 3D printing.…