Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 17, 2026
Distinctive Capillary Action by Micro-channels in Bone-like Templates can Enhance Recruitment of Cells for Restoration of Large Bony Defect
Published on: September 11, 2015
3D-Printed Polycaprolactone/Hydroxyapatite Bionic Scaffold for Bone Regeneration.
Feng-Ze Wang1, Shuo Liu1, Min Gao2
1Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology and National Center for Stomatology and National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases and National Engineering Research Center of Oral Biomaterials and Digital Medical Devices and Beijing Key Laboratory of Digital Stomatology and NHC Key Laboratory of Digital Stomatology and NMPA Key Laboratory for Dental Materials, No.22, Zhongguancun South Avenue, Haidian District, Beijing 100081, China.
Bionic bone scaffolds using 3D printing offer alternatives to traditional grafts. A 55% infill density gyroid scaffold showed optimal properties for bone defect repair.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Engineering
- Tissue Engineering
- Additive Manufacturing
Background:
- Autologous bone grafts have limitations including donor site morbidity and material scarcity.
- Three-dimensional (3D) printing, specifically fused deposition modeling (FDM), offers a promising approach for fabricating bionic bone scaffolds.
- Gyroid-structured scaffolds are of interest for mimicking cancellous bone architecture, but their FDM fabrication and optimal design parameters require further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the fabrication and properties of polycaprolactone/hydroxyapatite (PCL/HA) gyroid scaffolds using FDM.
- To determine the influence of infill density on the pore size, hydrophilicity, mechanical properties, and in vitro biological performance of these scaffolds.
- To identify an optimal gyroid scaffold design for bone defect repair.
Main Methods:
- Polycaprolactone/hydroxyapatite (PCL/HA) scaffolds were fabricated using FDM with varying infill densities (40-60%).
- A solvent-free filament preparation method was employed.
- Scaffolds were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and their hydrophilicity, mechanical properties, and in vitro cellular responses (alkaline phosphatase activity, calcium deposition) were evaluated.
Main Results:
- All fabricated scaffolds exhibited interconnected porous structures.
- The scaffold with 55% infill density presented an optimal pore size of 465 ± 63 μm.
- This 55% infill density scaffold demonstrated superior hydrophilicity, mechanical properties comparable to natural cancellous bone, and enhanced cellular activity, including bridging, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, and calcium salt deposition.
Conclusions:
- The infill density significantly impacts the properties of FDM-fabricated gyroid scaffolds.
- A 55% infill density results in optimal pore size, mechanical strength, and biological performance for PCL/HA gyroid scaffolds.
- These findings provide valuable insights for designing advanced gyroid scaffolds for bone regeneration applications via FDM.
