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Updated: May 27, 2026
A Facile and Eco-friendly Route to Fabricate Poly(Lactic Acid) Scaffolds with Graded Pore Size
Published on: October 17, 2016
Manufacturing of biodegradable polyurethane scaffolds based on polycaprolactone using a phase separation method:
Azadeh Asefnejad1, Mohammad Taghi Khorasani, Aliasghar Behnamghader
1Department of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran. asefnejad_azadeh@yahoo.com
Background:
Biodegradable polyurethanes have found widespread use in soft tissue engineering due to their suitable mechanical properties and biocompatibility.
Methods:
In this study, polyurethane samples were synthesized from polycaprolactone, hexamethylene diisocyanate, and a copolymer of 1,4-butanediol as a chain extender. Polyurethane scaffolds were fabricated by a combination of liquid-liquid phase separation and salt leaching techniques. The effect of the NCO:OH ratio on porosity content and pore morphology was investigated.
Results:
Scanning electron micrographs demonstrated that the scaffolds had a regular distribution of interconnected pores, with pore diameters of 50-300 μm, and porosities of 64%-83%. It was observed that, by increasing the NCO:OH ratio, the average pore size, compressive strength, and compressive modulus increased. L929 fibroblast and chondrocytes were cultured on the scaffolds, and all samples exhibited suitable cell attachment and growth, with a high level of biocompatibility.
Conclusion:
These biodegradable polyurethane scaffolds demonstrate potential for soft tissue engineering applications.
