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Tailoring the pore structure of PCL scaffolds for tissue engineering prepared via gas foaming of multi-phase blends

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Abstract

The aim of this study was the design of poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) scaffolds characterized by well controlled pore structures obtained by gas foaming of multi-phase blends of PCL and thermoplastic gelatin (TG). Co-continuous blends made of PCL and TG were prepared by melt mixing and, subsequently gas foamed in an autoclave to induce the formation of the porous network. A mixture of N2 and CO2 was used as blowing agent and the foaming process performed at temperature higher than PCL melting, in the range 70–110 °C. The foams were finally soaked in water at 37 °C to selectively extract the TG and achieve the final pore structure. The results of this study demonstrated that the proposed approach allowed to tailor the micro-structural properties of PCL scaffolds for tissue engineering.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank Daniela Guarnieri, Maria Iannone and Stefania Zeppetelli for theirs contribute to the biological characterization of the scaffolds.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Interdisciplinary Research Centre on Biomaterials (CRIB), P.le Tecchio 80, 80125, Naples, Italy

    A. Salerno & P. A. Netti

  2. Italian Institute of Technology (IIT), P.le Tecchio 80, 80125, Naples, Italy

    A. Salerno & P. A. Netti

  3. Institute of Composite and Biomedical Materials, National Research Council (IMCB-CNR), P.le Tecchio 80, 80125, Naples, Italy

    A. Salerno & S. Iannace

  4. Department of Materials and Production Engineering, University of Naples Federico II, P.le Tecchio 80, 80125, Naples, Italy

    E. Di Maio & P. A. Netti

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  1. A. Salerno
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  2. E. Di Maio
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  3. S. Iannace
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  4. P. A. Netti
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Correspondence to A. Salerno.

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Salerno, A., Di Maio, E., Iannace, S. et al. Tailoring the pore structure of PCL scaffolds for tissue engineering prepared via gas foaming of multi-phase blends. J Porous Mater 19, 181–188 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10934-011-9458-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10934-011-9458-9

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