All-biobased polylactic acid/cellulose nanofiber tissue engineering scaffolds molded by microcellular foaming

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Regenerative Medicine
• Polymer Science

Background:

• Tissue engineering scaffolds (TESs) are vital for regenerative medicine, supporting cell functions and tissue development.
• Current TES development faces challenges in achieving biocompatibility, mechanical strength, structural control, and cost-effective production.

Purpose of the Study:

• To fabricate fully bio-based TESs using polylactic acid (PLA) reinforced with cellulose nanofibers (CNFs).
• To investigate the impact of CNFs on PLA's properties and scaffold architecture.
• To evaluate the performance of these novel TESs for biomedical applications.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a green and scalable microcellular injection molding process.
• Incorporated cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) into polylactic acid (PLA) to create bio-based TESs.
• Employed mold-opening foam injection molding (MOFIM) for scaffold fabrication.

Main Results:

• CNF incorporation significantly enhanced PLA's rheology, crystallinity, and foaming behavior.
• MOFIM resulted in a 96.5% decrease in pore size and a seven-order-of-magnitude increase in pore density compared to regular foam injection molding.
• Tensile toughness and impact strength improved by up to 276.5% and 40.0%, respectively.
• PLA/CNF scaffolds demonstrated outstanding cell viability and proliferation.

Conclusions:

• Developed a sustainable and scalable strategy for high-performance TESs with tunable pore structures.
• The bio-based PLA/CNF scaffolds show significant potential for advanced biomedical applications.
• This approach addresses key challenges in TES development for regenerative medicine.