Fabrication of a poly(-caprolactone)/starch nanocomposite scaffold with a solvent-casting/salt-leaching technique for bone tissue engineering applications

A series of nanocomposite scaffolds of poly(-caprolactone) (PCL) and starch with a range of porosity from 50 to 90% were fabricated with a solvent-casting/salt-leaching technique, and their physical and mechanical properties were investigated. X-ray diffraction patterns and Fourier transform infrared spectra confirmed the presence of the characteristic peaks of PCL in the fabricated scaffolds. Microstructure studies of the scaffolds revealed a uniform pore morphology and structure in all of the samples. The experimental measurements showed that the average contact angle of the PCL/starch composite was 88.05 +/- 1.77 degrees. All of the samples exhibited compressive stress/strain curves similar to those of polymeric foams. The samples with 50, 60, 70, and 80 wt % salt showed compressive-load-resisting capabilities in the range of human cancellous bone. With increasing porosity, a significant decrease in the mechanical properties of the scaffolds was observed. (c) 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016, 133, 43523.