Fabrication and characterization of hardystonite-chitosan biocomposite scaffolds

2 Hardystonite scaffolds produced by ceramization of 3-D printed preceramic filled polymer were impregnated with chitosan solutions, later neutralized into physical hydrogels. Hardystonite bioceramic and chitosan physical hydrogel were chosen for their interesting biological properties as potential bone substitutes. Five impregnation protocols, differing in impregnation vacuum, chitosan concentration, chitosan to hardystonite mass ratio and base used for chitosan gelation were studied. The composition, micropore structure and surface morphology of impregnated scaffolds were determined. Impregnated hardystonite scaffolds were tested to find out the effect of impregnation protocols on elastic and dissipative mechanical properties of the composites. The capacity for energy dissipation and for load bearing increased as chitosan content increased in the composites. Thus, 3-D architectured biocomposites with enhanced mechanical properties can be manufactured following the method shown in this article.