Conference In: cienciavitae

Development of 3D-Printed Scaffolds with Mathematically Defined Curvature for Osteochondral Defect Repair Applications

Materiais 2022

Marcelino, Pedro; Silva, João C.; Ferreira, Frederico Castelo — 2022 — MDPI

Key information

Authors:

Marcelino, Pedro; Silva, João C. (João Carlos Fernandes da Silva); Moura, Carla; Meneses, João; Alves, Nuno; Pascoal-Faria, Paula; Ferreira, Frederico Castelo

Published in

April 12, 2022

Abstract

Scaffolds are one major component in osteochondral tissue engineering (OCTE) applications, acting as a structural support for cell proliferation and differentiation. However, the majority of described scaffolds present planar surfaces, compromising the reproduction of the natural curvature of the tissue (e.g., bone). Mimicking native tissue should be crucial, particularly in OCTE so that mechanical loads could be evenly distributed over the engineered constructs. In this work, a new strategy for the design of scaffolds is presented, using the radius of a sphere to characterize their curvature. Following a parametric design strategy, it becomes a versatile and efficient process to create scaffolds with diverse curvatures. The manufacture of the scaffolds was accomplished by fused filament fabrication (FFF) technique using the biocompatible, biodegradable and FDA-approved poly (lactic acid) (PLA) material. Considering the necessity for each layer to be printed over the bed or previously deposited material, a maximum curvature radius, to be produced by FFF, of 17.0638 mm was calculated for scaffolds with side dimensions of 20.1 mm × 20.1 mm. Curved scaffolds were manufactured with a radius of 17.0638 mm and 20 mm and structural integrity evaluated by micro-CT imaging, confirming the maximum curvature printability limitations. Additionally, finite element analysis (FEA) was used to assess the mechanical behavior of scaffolds to compressive loads. Considering these results, FFF curved scaffold manufacturing holds promising prospects to address the fabrication of scaffolds mimicking the natural curvature of osteochondral tissues.

Publication details

Authors in the community:

Publication version

AO - Author's Original

Publisher

MDPI

Link to the publisher's version

https://www.mdpi.com/2673-4605/8/1/11

Title of the publication container

Materiais 2022

Location of the conference

Portugal

Conference date start

April 12, 2022

DOI

10.3390/materproc2022008011

Fields of Science and Technology (FOS)

health-biotechnology - Medical biotechnology

Keywords

  • curved scaffolds
  • osteochondral tissue engineering
  • fused filament fabrication (FFF)

Publication language (ISO code)

eng - English

Rights type:

Open access

Creative Commons license

CC-BY - Attribution