Porous and strong bioactive glass (13–93) scaffolds fabricated by freeze extrusion technique

Scaffolds fabricated by current methods often lack the combination of high strength and high porosity for skeletal substitution of load-bearing bones. In this work, freeze extrusion fabrication (FEF), a solid freeform fabrication technique, was investigated for the creation of porous and strong bioactive glass (13–93) scaffolds for potential applications in the repair of loaded bone. The process parameters for forming three-dimensional (3D) scaffolds with a pre-designed, grid-like microstructure by FEF were determined. Following thermal treatment of the as-formed constructs at temperatures up to 700 °C, scaffolds consisting of dense glass struts and interconnecting pores (porosity ≈ 50%; pore width ≈ 300 μm) were obtained. These scaffolds showed an elastic mechanical response in compression, with a compressive strength of 140 ± 70 MPa and an elastic modulus of 5.5 ± 0.5 GPa, comparable to the values for human cortical bone. The scaffolds supported the proliferation of osteogenic cells in vitro, showing their biocompatibility. These results indicate that 13–93 bioactive glass scaffolds created by the FEF method could have potential application in the repair and regeneration of load-bearing bones.

► Freeze extrusion fabrication (FEF) was used to create scaffolds of 13–93 glass.
► Scaffolds had a compressive strength comparable to human cortical bone.
► FEF scaffolds were far stronger than similar scaffolds prepared by other methods.