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Updated: Sep 17, 2025
3D Printed Porous Cellulose Nanocomposite Hydrogel Scaffolds
Published on: April 24, 2019
3D-Printed Polycaprolactone Scaffolds Reinforced with Cellulose Nanocrystals and Silver Nanoparticles for Bone Tissue
Kanga Marius N'Gatta1,2, Edja Florentin Assanvo2, Joelle El Hayek1
1Institut Européen des Membranes, IEM, UMR 5635, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, ENSCM, 34095 Montpellier Cedex 5, France.
Abstract:
Cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) have garnered significant attention in pharmaceutical and medical applications due to their biocompatibility, biodegradability, renewability, and strong surface reactivity. In this study, we designed 3D-printed bioactive composite scaffolds via fused deposition modeling (FDM), incorporating polycaprolactone (PCL), CNC derived from Ficus thonningii bark, and silver nanoparticles (AgNps) synthesized through in situ reduction of silver nitrate AgNO3. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) confirmed AgNps incorporation, while scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed a highly porous, interconnected structure. The inclusion of CNC and AgNps enhanced PCL's biodegradability, hydrophilicity, and hydroxyapatite nucleation, all crucial for osteoconductivity. The scaffolds demonstrated mechanical properties suitable for bone regeneration, effective antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli, and cytocompatibility with Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs). These findings highlight the potential of PCL/CNCx/AgNps scaffolds as advanced biomaterials for bone tissue engineering, since they offer enhanced resorbability, antibacterial protection, and structural adaptability.
