Development of a new calcium phosphate powder-binder system for the 3D printing of patient specific implants

A key requirement for three-dimensional printing (3-DP) of medical implants is the availability of printable and biocompatible powder-binder systems. In this study we developed a powder mixture comprising tetracalcium phosphate (TTCP) as reactive component and beta-tricalcium phosphate (beta-TCP) or calcium sulfate as biodegradable fillers, which can be printed with an aqueous citric acid solution. The potential of this material combination was demonstrated printing various devices with intersecting channels and filigree structures. Two post-processing procedures, a sintering and a polymer infiltration process were established to substantially improve the mechanical properties of the printed devices. Preliminary examinations on relevant application properties including in vitro cytocompatibility testing indicate that the new powder-binder system represents an efficient approach to patient specific ceramic bone substitutes and scaffolds for bone tissue engineering.