Selective laser sintering of porous tissue engineering scaffolds from poly(l-lactide)/carbonated hydroxyapatite nanocomposite microspheres

• Published in: Journal of materials science. Materials in medicine Vol. 19; no. 7; pp. 2535 - 2540
• Main Authors: Zhou, Wen You, Lee, Siu Hang, Wang, Min, Cheung, Wai Lam, Ip, Wing Yuk
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Boston Springer US 01.07.2008; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Biomaterials; Biomedical engineering; Biomedical Engineering and Bioengineering; Biomedical materials; Bone Substitutes - chemistry; Bones; Ceramics; Chemistry and Materials Science; Composites; Glass; Hot Temperature; Hydroxyapatites - chemistry; Hydroxyapatites - radiation effects; Lasers; Materials Science; Materials Testing; Medical procedures; Microspheres; Nanostructures - chemistry; Nanostructures - radiation effects; Nanostructures - ultrastructure; Natural Materials; Polyesters - chemistry; Polymer Sciences; Porosity; Regenerative Medicine/Tissue Engineering; Studies; Surface Properties; Surfaces and Interfaces; Thin Films; Tissue Engineering - methods; Tissues; PLLA; Tissue Engineering Scaffold; Porous Scaffold; Selective Laser Sinter; Selective Laser Sinter Process
• ISSN: 0957-4530; 1573-4838
• DOI: 10.1007/s10856-007-3089-3

This study focuses on the use of bio-nanocomposite microspheres, consisting of carbonated hydroxyapatite (CHAp) nanospheres within a poly( l -lactide) (PLLA) matrix, to produce tissue engineering (TE) scaffolds using a modified selective laser sintering (SLS) machine. PLLA microspheres and PLLA/CHAp nanocomposite microspheres were prepared by emulsion techniques. The resultant microspheres had a size range of 5–30 μm, suitable for the SLS process. Microstructural analyses revealed that the CHAp nanospheres were embedded throughout the PLLA microsphere, forming a nanocomposite structure. A custom-made miniature sintering platform was installed in a commercial Sinterstation ® 2000 SLS machine. This platform allowed the use of small quantities of biomaterials for TE scaffold production. The effects of laser power; scan spacing and part bed temperature were investigated and optimized. Finally, porous scaffolds were successfully fabricated from the PLLA microspheres and PLLA/CHAp nanocomposite microspheres. In particular, the PLLA/CHAp nanocomposite microspheres appeared to be promising for porous bone TE scaffold production using the SLS technique.