Surface modification of 3D-printed polylactic acid-hardystonite scaffold for bone tissue engineering

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Materials Engineering
• Ceramics

Background:

• Poly lactic acid (PLA) is a biodegradable polymer with potential for bone tissue engineering scaffolds.
• Hardystonite (Har) is a bioceramic with promising properties for bone regeneration.
• Combining PLA and Har may create composite scaffolds with improved characteristics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize hardystonite (Har) bioceramic powder via sol-gel method.
• To fabricate poly lactic acid (PLA)-hardystonite (Har) composite scaffolds using melt-based 3D-printing.
• To evaluate the structural, mechanical, and biological properties of these composite scaffolds for bone tissue engineering applications.

Main Methods:

• Hardystonite bioceramic powder synthesized using the sol-gel method.
• Composite scaffolds fabricated via melt-based 3D-printing with varying Har content (0-30 wt%).
• Characterization included X-ray diffraction (XRD), porosity measurement, compression and tensile testing, water contact angle measurement, and cell adhesion studies.

Main Results:

• XRD confirmed successful synthesis and incorporation of hardystonite into PLA composites.
• Porosity and pore size increased with higher Har content.
• PLA-20Har scaffolds showed improved compressive strength (34.5 MPa), while PLA-30Har exhibited optimal tensile properties.
• Wettability and cell adhesion significantly improved with increasing Har content, with surface modification further enhancing cell adhesion.

Conclusions:

• PLA-Har composite scaffolds fabricated by 3D-printing demonstrate tunable mechanical properties and enhanced biocompatibility.
• The optimal PLA-20Har scaffold exhibits excellent potential for bone tissue engineering applications.
• Further surface modification can further improve the performance of these scaffolds for bone regeneration.