title: Reinforcing bioceramic scaffolds with in situ synthesized ε-polycaprolactone coatings.
abstract: In situ ring-opening polymerization of ε-caprolactone (ε-CL) was performed to coat β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) scaffolds fabricated by robocasting in order to enhance their mechanical performance while preserving the predesigned macropore architecture. Concentrated colloidal inks prepared from β-TCP commercial powders were used to fabricate porous structures consisting of a three-dimensional mesh of interpenetrating rods. Then, ε-CL was in situ polymerized within the ceramic structure using a lipase as catalyst and toluene as solvent, to obtain a highly homogeneous coating and full impregnation of in-rod microporosity. The strength and toughness of scaffolds coated by ε-polycaprolactone (ε-PCL) were significantly increased (twofold and fivefold increase, respectively) over those of the bare structures. Enhancement of both properties is associated to the healing of preexisting microdefects in the bioceramic rods. These enhancements are compared to results from previous work on fully impregnated structures. The implications of the results for the optimization of the mechanical and biological performance of scaffolds for bone tissue engineering applications are discussed.
authors: Departamento de Ingeniería Mecánica, Energética y de los Materiales, Universidad de Extremadura, Avda de Elvas s/n., 06006 Badajoz, Spain.
authors: Francisco J
authors: FJ
authors: Martínez-Vázquez
authors: Pedro
authors: P
authors: Miranda
authors: Fernando
authors: F
authors: Guiberteau
authors: Antonia
authors: A
authors: Pajares
mesh_terms: D002130:Calcium Phosphates / Q000494:pharmacology; D002516:Ceramics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020099:Coated Materials, Biocompatible / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019245:Compressive Strength / Q000187:drug effects; D020342:Finite Element Analysis; D008422:Materials Testing; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D011091:Polyesters / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D013718:Tensile Strength / Q000187:drug effects; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D002130:Calcium Phosphates; D020099:Coated Materials, Biocompatible; D011091:Polyesters; C485817:beta-tricalcium phosphate; C016240:polycaprolactone
keywords: PCL coating; in situ polymerization; mechanical properties; robocasting; scaffolds