Characterization of PA12/HA composite scaffolds based on selective laser sintering

Composite scaffolds have been extensively studied in bone tissue engineering, which can achieve excellent properties that cannot be obtained by a single material. In this study, the effect of hydroxyapatite (HA) on the reliability of polyamide 12 (PA12) scaffold for bone graft was explored in terms of mechanical and biological properties. Thermal properties testing showed that no physical or chemical reaction occurs in the prepared PA12/HA composite powders. Further, compression experiments showed that adding a small amount of HA promoted the mechanical properties of the scaffold, while excessive HA results in agglomeration and impairs the PA12/HA scaffold. For the scaffolds with the porosity of 65%, the 96% PA12/4% HA scaffold has a 7.3% higher yield strength and a 13.5% higher compressive modulus than the pure PA12 scaffold while the strength of the 88% PA12/12% HA scaffold decreases by 35.6%. Furthermore, contact angle and CCK-8 tests confirmed that 96% PA12/4% HA scaffold effectively improved the hydrophilicity and biocompatibility of the scaffold. Its OD value on the 7th day is 0.949, which is significantly higher than that of other groups. In summary, PA12/HA composites have good mechanical properties and biocompatibility, which can be used as an effective strategy in bone tissue engineering.