Scaffold development using selective laser sintering of polyetheretherketone-hydroxyapatite biocomposite blends

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Tissue Engineering
• Additive Manufacturing

Background:

• Temporary three-dimensional scaffolds are crucial in tissue engineering (TE) for guiding cell growth and preserving tissue function.
• Conventional scaffold fabrication methods have limitations, driving the need for advanced techniques.
• Rapid prototyping (RP) offers precise control and overcomes limitations of manual fabrication.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the RP fabrication of solvent-free porous polymeric and composite scaffolds.
• To assess the suitability of polyetheretherketone (PEEK) and hydroxyapatite (HA) blends for selective laser sintering (SLS).
• To evaluate the microstructural properties of SLS-processed scaffolds.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a commercial selective laser sintering (SLS) RP system.
• Processed physically mixed PEEK/HA powder blends at various weight percentages (wt%).
• Conducted microstructural assessments using electron microscopy.

Main Results:

• Successfully fabricated solvent-free porous PEEK/HA composite scaffolds using SLS.
• Demonstrated user control over scaffold microstructure by adjusting SLS parameters.
• Electron microscopy confirmed the structural integrity and potential of the fabricated scaffolds.

Conclusions:

• Selective laser sintering (SLS) is a viable RP technique for fabricating PEEK/HA composite scaffolds for tissue engineering.
• The study ascertained the potential of SLS-fabricated scaffolds for TE applications.
• Further research can optimize SLS parameters for tailored scaffold properties.