3D-Printed Short-Fiber Aerogel Scaffolds for Smart Drug Delivery

The uncontrollable drug release rate and insufficient mechanical properties of aerogel scaffolds posed key challenges for their application in bone tissue engineering. This study proposed a multifunctional smart aerogel scaffold integrating electrospinning and direct ink writing (DIW) technology, combining sustained drug release with external magnetic field stimulation. Rifampicin-loaded PLA/PCL electrospun short fibers were embedded within the aerogel matrix, constructing a (n-HA/CNFs/PVA/Fe₃O₄@SF) composite aerogel scaffold with microarchitectural features mimicking the extracellular matrix and controlled drug release functionality. The incorporation of short fibers significantly mitigated rifampicin release rates while substantially enhancing the mechanical properties of the aerogel scaffold. Furthermore, under non-contact alternating magnetic field stimulation, the scaffold maintained a localized temperature of 42 °C, enabling on-demand accelerated drug release and localized magnetotherapeutic effects, thereby overcoming the limitations of traditional drug delivery systems. By integration of macro-scale precision 3D-printing technology, microscale electrospinning structure construction, short-fiber sustained-release mechanisms, and dynamic alternating magnetic field regulation, this composite scaffold offered a novel strategy for intelligent, precision treatment of bone tuberculosis (BTB).