title: Printability of calcium phosphate powders for three-dimensional printing of tissue engineering scaffolds.
abstract: Three-dimensional printing (3DP) is a versatile method to produce scaffolds for tissue engineering. In 3DP the solid is created by the reaction of a liquid selectively sprayed onto a powder bed. Despite the importance of the powder properties, there has to date been a relatively poor understanding of the relation between the powder properties and the printing outcome. This article aims at improving this understanding by looking at the link between key powder parameters (particle size, flowability, roughness, wettability) and printing accuracy. These powder parameters are determined as key factors with a predictive value for the final 3DP outcome. Promising results can be expected for mean particle size in the range of 20-35 μm, compaction rate in the range of 1.3-1.4, flowability in the range of 5-7 and powder bed surface roughness of 10-25 μm. Finally, possible steps and strategies in pushing the physical limits concerning improved quality in 3DP are addressed and discussed.
authors.affiliation: RMS Foundation, Bettlach, Switzerland. Andre.Butscher@rms-foundation.ch
authors.forename: Andre
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Butscher
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bohner
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Roth
authors.forename: Annika
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ernstberger
authors.forename: Roman
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Heuberger
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Doebelin
authors.forename: Philipp Rudolf
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: von Rohr
authors.forename: Ralph
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Müller
mesh_terms: D002130:Calcium Phosphates / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D010316:Particle Size; D056951:Photoelectron Spectroscopy; D011208:Powders / Q000737:chemistry*; D013499:Surface Properties; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods*; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds / Q000737:chemistry*; D017155:Wettability; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction
chemical_list: D002130:Calcium Phosphates; D011208:Powders