Publication: Fabrication of tuneable micro and Macroporous structures in dicalcium Phosphate dihydrate-coated β-Tricalcium phosphate and low Crystallinity β-tricalcium phosphate Porous scaffolds
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Date
2024-01-01
Authors
Ahmed Hafedh, Mohammed Mohammed
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Abstract
The porous β-Tricalcium Phosphate (β-TCP) scaffolds have shown good
osteoconductivity and biocompatibility. However, the osteoconductivity of β-TCP
porous scaffolds is still inferior to natural bone when implanted in large bone defect
areas due to non-uniform pore size and structures with high crystallinity crystal
structures. Hence, this study was carried out to investigate the feasible methods to
fabricate controlled micro- and macroporous dicalcium phosphate dihydrate (DCPD)-
coated β-TCP and low crystallinity-(LC) β-TCP porous scaffolds. This study
comprises six stages employing various characterizations such as Scanning Electron
Microscopy (SEM), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transmission Infrared
Spectroscopy (FTIR), cross-section analyses, porosity analyses, mechanical strength
analysis, calcium ion releases, pH analyses and in-vitro cell analyses. The first stage
showed that porous β-TCP granules with different pore sizes 2.8-7.5 μm for 300-600
μm granules and 3.6-7.7 μm for 600-1000 μm granules were successfully fabricated.
The second stage investigates the pore size influences on DCPD-coated porous β-TCP
granules properties, which shows higher DCPD formation with larger pore sizes 7.5-
7.7 μm of β-TCP granules. Meanwhile, the third stage of this study demonstrated the
feasible method for fabricating micro- and macroporous DCPD-coated β-TCP
scaffolds. It was found that these scaffolds were successfully fabricated by using the
setting reaction method and better scaffold properties were shown with higher setting-time reactions up to 8 hours and higher acidic calcium phosphate concentrations up to
100 mmol/L MCPM-25 mmol/L H3PO4. The fourth stage indicated sufficient
mechanical properties after examining the effect of liquid volume-to-granular mass
(L/G) ratio on DCPD/β-TCP scaffolds and their responses to pre-osteoblast MC3T3-
E1 cells. The results indicated that increasing the L/G ratio up to 0.6ml/0.2g and using
granule sizes 600-1000 μm increased its mechanical strength and stimulated high
responses of cells surrounding the scaffold. The fifth stage discusses the possible route
to convert the DCPD/β-TCP scaffolds into LC-β-TCP scaffolds. The results showed
that the LC-β-TCP scaffolds successfully formed through hydrothermal conditions and
a combination of dry heating and hydrothermal conditions. Furthermore, the sixth
stage of studies indicated that the response of MC3T3-E1 cells towards porous LC-β-
TCP scaffolds was higher than DCPD/β-TCP scaffolds at 3, 5 and 7 days. Based on
the findings obtained in this study suggest that tunable micro- and macropore sizes,
appropriate mechanical strength, DCPD phase presence, and scaffold crystallinity
enhance the stimulation of pre-osteoblast MC3T3-E1 cell activities. As a result, these
findings suggest innovative methods for bioceramic researchers to prompt an
expeditious bone remodelling process.