Novel poly(ε-caprolactone) scaffolds comprised of tailored core/shell-structured filaments using 3D plotting technique

Abstract

This study presents a novel type of poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) scaffold comprised of tailored core/shell-structured filaments. The scaffold can be produced using a nonsolvent-induced phase separation phenomenon during the 3D plotting of PCL solutions in a coagulation bath. Specifically, a mixture of water and ethanol was employed as the nonsolvent, in order to tailor the phase separation behavior of a PCL/acetone solution. The addition of water to ethanol allowed for the creation of dense shells due to the fast exchange between acetone and water during the early stage of the 3D plotting process, while in the cores a number of micropores were formed. In addition, the thickness of the dense shell increased with an increase in water content in the water/ethanol mixture, increasing the mechanical properties (i.e., tensile strength, modulus, and strain at failure) of the porous PCL scaffolds with tailored core/shell-structured filaments remarkably.