Macroporous Ti-based composite scaffold prepared by polymer impregnating method with calcium phosphate coatings

Interconnected porous scaffolds are universally used to induce the tissue growth for bone repair and replacement, and serve functions to support the adhesion, transfer, proliferation and differentiation of cells when supporting the channel for oxygen and nutrition entering into the interior scaffold. This study involves preparing macroporous titanium (Ti) scaffold by the polymer impregnating method and subsequently depositing calcium phosphate (Ca-P) coatings on the sintered scaffold through the electrochemical deposition technique in order to improve the bioactivity of the pure Ti scaffold. The results show that the scaffold had three-dimensional (3D) interconnected structures without changing the phase composition of Ti via sintering process. The Ti-based composite scaffold after deposition of Ca-P coating with mechanical strength similar to woven bone is a promising bone substitute in clinical applications. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.