Effect of Calcium Silicate and β-Tricalcium Phosphate Reinforcement on the Mechanical–Biological Properties of Freeze-Dried Collagen Composite Scaffolds for Bone Tissue Engineering Applications

Abstract

The development of a collagen-based composite scaffold to repair damaged bone is one of many important issues in tissue engineering. In this study, pure collagen, collagen/β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP), collagen/calcium silicate (CS), and collagen/β-TCP/CS scaffolds were fabricated using the freeze-drying method. The phase compositions, microstructures, and mechanical properties were characterized using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and a universal testing machine, respectively. In addition, cell viability was evaluated using an MTT assay. Finally, the correlations between the density, mechanical properties, and biodegradation behaviors of pore size distributions were discussed.