A simple recipe for direct writing complex 45S5 Bioglass® 3D scaffolds

Direct-writing fabrication techniques, such as robocasting, have been ignored up to date for the production of scaffolds from 45S5 Bioglass®, probably due to difficulties in the preparation of stable high solids loading colloidal suspensions (inks) from 45S5 Bioglass® powders using traditional approaches. Here, we report how these difficulties can be overcome. Aqueous suspensions containing 45 vol% of 45S5 Bioglass® were successfully prepared using carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) as single multifunctional (dispersant, binder, gelation agent) processing additive. Playing with the molecular weight (MW) and amount of CMC enabled tuning the rheological properties of the inks to meet the stringent requirements of robocasting. An incomplete surface coverage allowing bridging flocculation to occur is the key to obtain highly performing inks.

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► 45S5 Bioglass® scaffolds were fabricated for the first time by robocasting.
► Inks containing 45 vol% 45S5 Bioglass® were prepared using CMC as a single additive.
► The aqueous processing difficulties 45S5 Bioglass® became strongly mitigated.
► The simple recipe can also be used in other colloidal processing techniques.
► The as-yet unoptimized scaffolds fabricated already exhibit significant strength.