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A Facile and Eco-friendly Route to Fabricate Poly(Lactic Acid) Scaffolds with Graded Pore Size
Published on: October 17, 2016
Biodegradable polycaprolactone scaffold with controlled porosity obtained by modified particle-leaching technique
M Lebourg1, R Sabater Serra, J Más Estellés
1Center for Biomaterials, Universidad Politécnica de Valencia, Camino de Vera s/n, Valencia 46022, Spain. myle1@doctor.upv.es
Journal of Materials Science. Materials in Medicine
|October 31, 2007
Summary
This study synthesized polycaprolactone scaffolds using a modified particle leaching method. The resulting porous scaffolds exhibit tunable porosity and interconnectivity, impacting mechanical strength for potential tissue engineering applications.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Tissue Engineering
- Polymer Chemistry
Background:
- Scaffolds with controlled porosity are crucial for tissue engineering, providing physical support for cell adhesion and growth.
- Polycaprolactone (PCL) is a versatile biomaterial frequently used in tissue engineering scaffolds.
- Controlling scaffold porosity and pore interconnectivity is essential for optimizing mechanical properties and biological performance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize polycaprolactone (PCL) scaffolds with controlled porosity and pore interconnectivity using a modified particle leaching method.
- To investigate the influence of varying porosity and pore interconnectivity on the mechanical properties of PCL scaffolds.
- To evaluate the potential of these PCL scaffolds for future applications in cell adhesion, proliferation, and tissue regeneration.
Main Methods:
- Polycaprolactone (PCL) scaffolds were fabricated using a modified particle leaching technique.
- Low molecular weight poly(ether methyl acrylate) (PEMA) beads (200 microm) were sintered to create porous templates.
- Melt PCL was injected into the templates under nitrogen pressure, followed by porogen removal via ethanol dissolution.
Main Results:
- Scaffold porosities ranging from 60% to 85% were successfully achieved.
- Pore interconnectivity was observed to increase with increasing scaffold porosity.
- A decrease in mechanical strength was correlated with an increase in scaffold porosity.
Conclusions:
- The modified particle leaching method effectively produced PCL scaffolds with controlled porosity and interconnectivity.
- The synthesized scaffolds demonstrate tunable mechanical properties influenced by porosity.
- These PCL scaffolds possess promising characteristics for applications in cartilage and bone repair materials due to their interconnected structure.
