Preparation of Porous Poly(Lactic Acid)/Tricalcium Phosphate Composite Scaffolds for Tissue Engineering

Abstract

The development of bioactive and composite materials for tissue engineering applications is being investigated worldwide. Many approaches have been published by including combinations of resorbable polymers with hydroxyapatite (HA), tricalcium phosphate (TCP), bioactive glasses and glass-ceramics in different scaffolds architectures. Taking into account these antecedents, porous polylactic acid (PLA)/TCP composites were fabricated by employing dissolution-leaching technic from PLA/chloroform solution (10, 15, and 20 wt % of TCP). Composite scaffolds exhibited porosity values 1.3 times higher when compared to PLA foams. Their bioactive response of the composite foams after immersion in a simulated body fluid (SBF) was studied by X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR-ATR). By XRD analysis, diffraction peaks attributed to hydroxyapatite deposition were observed; and by FTIR-ATR, new absorption bands corresponding to HA were detected. Regarding mechanical properties, an increasing tendency on elastic Young's modulus values was observed at higher TCP concentrations. These results envision the feasibility of using these composites as precursors for bone tissue materials engineering.