The field of tissue engineering requires versatile scaffold fabrication technologies capable of inducing cell proliferation and differentiation to promote functional tissue regeneration. Traditional fabrication methods face inherent trade-offs among production speed, resolution, and cost, which hinder their ability to replicate the intricate hierarchical structures of biological tissues. To address these challenges, we developed a mask projection photolithography system with variable optical magnification. This system allows for precise control of the microscale feature size in the final product using a single mask, by adjusting the optical magnification with interchangeable objective lenses and a relay lens. With this system, we successfully fabricated porous scaffolds with reproducible pore sizes ranging from 25 to 100 μm, exposing a Poly (ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA, Mn = 700) hydrogel precursor solution through a honeycomb-patterned mask for durations of just 3 to 10 seconds. The mask projection system presented in this study offers a powerful and efficient platform for creating the microstructures essential for various advanced biomedical applications, including tissue engineering, drug delivery, and organoid-on-a-chip, thanks to its unique combination of speed, precision, and cost-effectiveness.

Polyacrylamide (PAM) was used for matrix material to fabricate composite hydrogels reinforced with natural cellulose nanocrystal (CNC). Invoking in situ free-radical polymerization with different concentration of cellulose nanocrystal, polyacrylamide hydrogels were fabricated. The chemical structure, compression strength, morphology and dielectric properties of the composite hydrogels were investigated. The CNC played a role as a reinforcing filler and a multifunctional cross-linker in the hydrogel. The elastic modulus and dielectric property of the composite hydrogels increased as increasing the CNC concentration. The electrical actuation test of the PAM/CNC hydrogel shows its possibility for soft electro-active materials for active lens.