Abstract
Novel highly porous nanocomposite scaffolds consisting of polycaprolactone (PCL) and forsterite nanopowder were prepared by a solvent-casting/particle- leaching method. In addition, the effects of forsterite nanopowder contents on the structure of the scaffolds were investigated to provide an appropriate composite for bone regenerative medicine. Results showed that the scaffolds exhibited high porosity (up to 92%) with open pores of 100-300 μm average diameters. This porosity increased with decreasing forsterite nanopowder content. In addition, the pore walls contained numerous micropores. Microstructure studies showed that the pores were well distributed throughout the structures. Furthermore, the bioactive forsterite nanoparticles were homogenously distributed within the PCL matrix of the scaffolds, which contained up to 30 wt.% forsterite nanopowder. This porous structure with micropores provides the properties required for bone tissue engineering applications.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1931-1934 |
| Number of pages | 4 |
| Journal | Materials Letters |
| Volume | 65 |
| Issue number | 12 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 30 Jun 2011 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Funding
The authors are grateful for the support of this research by the Isfahan University of Technology. We also thank Keith Thomas for his kind help.
Keywords
- Forsterite nanopowder
- Nanocomposites
- Porosity
- Scaffold