Green and Scalable Manufacturing of Biodegradable Polymer Scaffolds: Solvent-Free Processing, Supercritical CO₂ and...

Tissue scaffolds are one of the main components of the tissue engineering triad, playing a vital role in tissue engineering. However, their production procedures heavily rely on solvent-intensive and energy-demanding methods. This raises serious questions about industrial-scale manufacturability, residual solvent toxicity to living health, and sustainability for nature and the environment. Therefore, the main aim of this study is to identify robust scaffolds that provide a suitable microenvironment for resident cells and promote tissue regeneration, while reducing waste through environmentally friendly production methods. In this context, the scalable and ecologically friendly production methods emerge as necessary alternatives as biodegradable polymer scaffolds are used in more therapeutic settings. Clinically applicable and green synthesis-based supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO₂) technologies, melt electrowriting (MEW), and solvent-free processing techniques are the main topics of this study for a critical analysis of biodegradable polymer scaffold production techniques. Scaffold structure-property correlations, polymer selection and interactions, production procedures, the benefits and drawbacks of existing fabrication technologies, and sustainability issues are discussed in detail. It aims to contribute a novel perspective and approach to literature by presenting and comparing production-oriented approaches as sustainable and green methods. The challenges in the development of biodegradable tissue scaffolds, along with the significance of green manufacturing techniques, are also revealed. The approach is designed to connect processing factors to scaffold features in addition to evaluating current technologies. This review tries to offer a framework for producing biodegradable polymer scaffolds in a sustainable and clinically implementable context.