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Biodegradable polycaprolactone scaffold with controlled porosity obtained by modified particle-leaching technique

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Abstract

Scaffold with controlled porosity constitute a cornerstone in tissue engineering, as a physical support for cell adhesion and growth. In this work, scaffolds of polycaprolactone were synthesized by a modified particle leaching method in order to control porosity and pore interconnectivity; the aim is to observe their influence on the mechanical properties and, in the future, on cell adhesion and proliferation rates. Low molecular weight PEMA beads with an average size of 200 μm were sintered with various compression rates in order to obtain the templates (negatives of the scaffolds). Then the melt polycaprolactone was injected into the porous template under nitrogen pressure in a custom made device. After cooling and solidifying of the melt polymer, the porogen was removed by selective dissolution in ethanol. The porosity and morphology of the scaffold were studied as well as the mechanical properties. Porosities from 60% to 85% were reached; it was found that pore interconnectivity logically increases with increasing porosity, and that mechanical strength decreases with increasing porosity. Because of their interesting properties and interconnected structure, these scaffolds are expected to find useful applications as a cartilage or bone repair material.

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Acknowledgements

The group of the Center for Biomaterials of the UPV acknowledges the support of Spanish Ministry of Science and Education through the MAT2004-04980-C02-01 project, and the support to their research group by the Generalitat Valenciana through the project GRUPOS03/018. Julio Suay Antón acknowledges the support of Spanish Ministry of Science and Technology through the MAT 2003-05391-C03-02 project. SEM was conducted by the authors in the Microscopy Service of the Universidad Politécnica de Valencia, whose advice is greatly appreciated.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Biomaterials, Universidad Politécnica de Valencia, Camino de Vera s/n, Valencia, 46022, Spain

    M. Lebourg, R. Sabater Serra, J. Más Estellés, J. L. Gómez Ribelles & J. Suay Antón

  2. Centro de Investigación Científica del Yucatán, C.43 No 130 Chuburná de Hidalgo, Merida, CP 97200, Mexico

    F. Hernández Sánchez

  3. Centro de Investigación Principe Felipe, Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias, Valencia, 46000, Spain

    J. L. Gómez Ribelles

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  1. M. Lebourg
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  2. R. Sabater Serra
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  3. J. Más Estellés
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  4. F. Hernández Sánchez
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  5. J. L. Gómez Ribelles
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  6. J. Suay Antón
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Correspondence to M. Lebourg.

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Lebourg, M., Sabater Serra, R., Más Estellés, J. et al. Biodegradable polycaprolactone scaffold with controlled porosity obtained by modified particle-leaching technique. J Mater Sci: Mater Med 19, 2047–2053 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10856-007-3282-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10856-007-3282-4

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