MuCell® technology for injection molding:: A processing method for polyether-urethane scaffolds

MuCell (R) injection molding technology which takes supercritical carbon dioxide as blowing agent was used as processing method to generate porous samples made of thermoplastic polyether-urethane. The influence of processing parameters on the morphology of the porous structures was examined by mercury intrusion porometry and image analysis. An increase in injection speed and content Of CO2 in the polymer melt decreased pore sizes whereas an increase in the percentage of weight reduction increased pore sizes. Polyether-urethane samples with porosities of 70% and pore sizes from 184 to 1102 mu m were observed. Interconnective pore sizes ranged from 40 to 275 mu m. (c) 2005 Springer Science + Business Media, Inc.