3D-glass–ceramic scaffolds with antibacterial properties for bone grafting

A 3D-scaffold for bone tissue engineering should show an interconnected macroporous network with pores exceeding 100 μm to favor cell penetration and vascularisation, should be osteoproductive and should exhibit sufficient mechanical strength. In this work, bioactive glass–ceramic scaffold characterised by a network of pores and struts were obtained using the sponge impregnation method. Specifically, 3D-scaffolds with a total porosity of 75 vol.% and 2 MPa of compressive strength were prepared through a fine tuning of the processing parameters. On the as obtained scaffolds, silver ions were introduced in controlled amount through ion-exchange process imparting antibacterial properties.