Laser Processing of Biomaterials: Innovations and Applications
A special issue of Materials (ISSN 1996-1944). This special issue belongs to the section "Manufacturing Processes and Systems".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 March 2026
Special Issue Editor
Interests: laser-assisted processing; laser direct writing via two-photon polymerization; laser ablation; matrix-assisted pulsed laser evaporation; 3D micro- and nano-structures; biocompatible materials; tissue engineering applications
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Special Issue Information
Dear colleagues,
Biomaterials—natural or synthetic—interact with living tissues and are widely used in medical applications like prosthetics, instruments, and regenerative medicine. Biomaterial science focuses on their properties and interactions with the body to develop advanced therapies. As these materials are delicate, their processing requires high precision and advanced technologies. Laser-based methods have emerged as ideal tools for shaping biocompatible materials into thin films and 2D/3D micro- and nano-structures, offering high flexibility, accuracy, and reproducibility at a low cost.
A key requirement in medical applications is the ability to process biomaterials into various shapes and sizes to closely mimic in vivo environments. In this regard, laser processing offers precise control unachievable using conventional methods, enabling the creation of thin films, complex 2D micro/nano-structures, and reproducible 3D architectures with a spatial resolution of several nm. As a result, over recent decades, laser techniques have rapidly advanced and are now widely used to fabricate biomimetic structures, tissue engineering scaffolds, and biomedical devices. Compared to traditional methods, laser processing provides superior precision, finer features, and minimal debris.
The laser processing of biomaterials has evolved significantly since its early applications in the 1960s–1980s, which focused on basic tasks like cutting, welding, and marking. From the 2000s onward, advancements in laser and biomaterial technologies enabled more complex applications, such as additive manufacturing, surface engineering, and micro/nano-scale fabrication. These developments have greatly expanded laser use in modern biomedical fields, including tissue engineering, drug delivery, medical device manufacturing, surface modification, and bioprinting.
This Special Issue, "Laser Processing of Biomaterials: Innovations and Applications is intended to highlight recent progress in the laser processing of biomaterials and will focus on groundbreaking original studies on eco-friendly, accurate, and adaptable laser techniques, including (but not limited to) ultrafast laser machining, laser ablation, matrix-assisted pulsed laser evaporation, laser direct writing via two-photon polymerization, selective laser sintering, and laser-induced forward transfer. Thus, we are pleased to invite you to contribute your research article, short communication, or review paper on advancements in this field, encompassing both novel methodologies and practical applications in areas such as tissue constructs, drug delivery systems, and medical devices.
Dr. Irina Paun
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Materials is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- Biomaterial
- Laser processing
- Ultrafast laser machining
- Laser irradiation
- Matrix-assisted pulsed laser evaporation
- Laser direct writing via two-photon polymerization
- Laser-induced forward transfer
- Tissue engineering
- Personalized healthcare
- Precision-targeted treatments
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