Fabrication and characterization of porous bone scaffold of bovine hydroxyapatite-glycerin by 3D printing technology

Abstract

This research aims to know the mechanical properties of bone graft bio-composites of bovine hydroxyapatite (BHA)-Glycerin by deposition using three-dimensional (3D) Printer. BHA-Glycerin was mixed with a various ratio of 60:40, 45:55, 35:65, 30:70 and 25:75 (%wt) which precipitated for 24 ​h. After homogenization process, bio-ink shaped slurry was acquired that will be used as material to be printed in 3D printer into scaffold. After the printing process was completed then the scaffold was dried on heated bed for 10 ​min and re-heated in the microwave for 15 ​min at a temperature of 100 ​°C. As a result, the highest hardness of 3D bone scaffold BHA-Glycerin was 24.23 ​± ​1.22VHN while the lowest was 2.03 ​± ​0.12VHN. The produced hardness is lower than the commercial HA product and human bone. The highest compressive strength was 5.71 ​± ​0.43 ​MPa and the lowest was 3.22 ​± ​0.13 ​MPa. The produced compressive strength is in the range of the commercial HA and human bone. The highest density of scaffold BHA-Glycerin is 1.65 ​± ​0.06 ​g/cm3 while the lowest is 1.28 ​± ​0.07 gr/cm3. The produced density is lower than the commercial HA product and higher than human bone. Observations pores with a microscope show pore size of 300–400 ​μm and have a square shape.