Fabrication, characterization and evaluation of the mechanical properties of poly (ε-caprolactone)/nano-fluoridated hydroxyapatite scaffold for bone tissue engineering

The aim of this study was to prepare and characterize the novel poly (epsilon-caprolactone)/nano-fluoridated hydroxyapatite (PCL-FHA100) nanocomposite scaffolds and, to investigate the mechanical properties of the scaffolds in order to obtain an optimized composition. These polymer-matrix composite (PMC) scaffolds were produced by solvent casting/particulate leaching method. The chemical composition of the FHA100 was Ca-10(PO4)(6)OH2-xFx (x = 2.0). 10, 20, 30 and 40 wt.% of the FHA100 were added to the PCL. Sodium chloride (NaCl) particles with diameters of 300-500 mu m were used as porogen. X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and scanning electron microscope (SEM) were used to identify the phase structure, functional groups, and distribution of pores in the scaffolds, respectively. Mechanical properties of the scaffolds were also evaluated. Results showed that compressive strength of scaffolds increased by increasing the weight ratio of FHA100 (e.g. in constant porosity (similar to 60%), compressive strength of PCL-10FHA100 was similar to 52 kPa and compressive strength of PCL-40FHA100 was 100 kPa) and decreased by increasing the porosity (e.g. in constant ratio of FHA100 (40%), compressive strength of PCL-40FHA100 for similar to 60% and similar to 80% porosity was similar to 100 and similar to 50 kPa, respectively). (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.