Porous 3-D scaffolds from regenerated silk fibroin

Three fabrication techniques, freeze-drying, salt leaching and gas foaming, were used to form porous three-dimensional silk biomaterial matrixes. Matrixes were characterized for morphological and functional properties related to processing method and conditions. The porosity of the salt leached scaffolds varied between 84 and 98% with a compressive strength up to 175 +/- 3 KPa, and the gas foamed scaffolds had porosities of 87-97% and compressive strength up to 280 +/- 4 KPa. The freeze-dried scaffolds were prepared at different freezing temperatures (-80 and -20 degrees C) and subsequently treated with different concentrations (15 and 25%) and hydrophilicity alcohols. The porosity of these scaffolds was up to 99%, and the maximum compressive strength was 30 +/- 2 KPa. Changes in silk fibroin structure during processing to form the 3D matrixes were determined by FT-IR and XrD. The salt leached and gas foaming techniques produced scaffolds with a useful combination of high compressive strength, interconnected pores, and pore sizes greater than 100 microns in diameter. The results suggest that silk-based 3D matrixes can be formed for utility in biomaterial applications.