Poly-epsilon-caprolactone/hydroxyapatite for tissue engineering scaffold fabrication via selective laser sintering

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Tissue Engineering
• Additive Manufacturing

Background:

• Rapid prototyping (RP) offers advantages over conventional methods for fabricating tissue engineering (TE) scaffolds.
• Selective laser sintering (SLS) is a versatile RP technique allowing control over scaffold microstructure.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the fabrication of TE scaffolds using SLS with a poly-epsilon-caprolactone (PCL) and hydroxyapatite (HA) biocomposite.
• To assess the suitability of PCL/HA blends for SLS fabrication and characterize the resulting scaffolds.

Main Methods:

• PCL/HA biocomposite blends with varying HA percentages were prepared and sintered using SLS.
• Sintering parameters (laser power, scan speed) were optimized.
• Scaffold morphology was analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM).
• Material homogeneity was confirmed by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA).
• Biocompatibility was evaluated through immersion in simulated body fluid (SBF) and cell culture studies with Saos-2 cells.

Main Results:

• Optimal sintering conditions were determined for the PCL/HA powders.
• SEM analysis revealed the morphology of the sintered scaffolds.
• TGA confirmed the homogeneity of the biocomposite blends.
• Hydroxy carbonate apatite formation was observed on HA after SBF immersion.
• Saos-2 cells exhibited viability and proliferation on the fabricated scaffolds.

Conclusions:

• SLS is a viable technique for fabricating PCL/HA biocomposite scaffolds for tissue engineering.
• The PCL/HA biocomposite demonstrates favorable properties for TE applications, including good biocompatibility and potential for apatite formation.