Low-temperature fabrication of macroporous scaffolds through foaming and hydration of tricalcium silicate paste and their bioactivity

Abstract

A low-temperature fabrication method for highly porous bioactive scaffolds was developed. The two-step method involved the foaming of tricalcium silicate cement paste and hydration to form calcium silicate hydrate and calcium hydroxide. Scaffolds with a combination of interconnected macro- and micro-sized pores were fabricated by making use of the decomposition of a hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) solution that acted as a foaming agent and through the hydration of tricalcium silicate cement. It was found possible to control the porosity and pore sizes by adjusting the concentration of the H2O2 solution. The in vitro bioactivity of the highly porous scaffolds was investigated by immersion in simulated body fluid (SBF) for 7 days. Hydroxyapatite (HAp) was formed on the surface of the scaffolds. Their bioactivity could be expected to be as good as that of tricalcium silicate cement, making the material competent for the bone tissue engineering application.