Geometrical and mechanical analysis of polylactic acid and polyvinylidine fluoride scaffolds for bone tissue engineering

Abstract

Utilising finite element analyses and experimental testing, this study investigates the influence of scaffold porosity on mechanical behaviour and evaluates the potential of polylactic acid (PLA) and polyvinylidine fluoride (PVDF) as bone substitute materials. Scaffold geometries were devised using design parameters adapted from extant literature and then generated using computer-aided engineering tools. Methodical variations in strand thickness were applied, maintaining other design criteria constant for robust analysis. Results, derived under varied loading conditions, suggest that scaffold mechanical properties are influenced significantly by geometry, strand diameter and porosity. Cubic scaffolds exhibited marked strength. Structures with reduced porosity demonstrated heightened mechanical characteristics, while facilitating bone cell proliferation. For a comparative context, PVDF scaffolds were benchmarked against human femur bone properties, revealing a mechanical behaviour alignment, particularly in their Young’s modulus.