Fabrication of poly(ε-caprolactone)/hydroxyapatite scaffold using rapid direct deposition

Macrochanneled poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL)/hydroxyapatite (HA) scaffolds were fabricated using the rapid direct deposition process, in which a warm PCL-HA/acetone slurry was deposited through an 520-μm orifice in an ethanol coagulation reservoir, producing a continuous rigid filament via solvent extraction. This method allowed the macrochanneled PCL/HA scaffolds to have a controlled structure, which was constructed using a ∼330-μm filament, in which the HA particles were well dispersed in the PCL matrix. The bonding between the deposited filaments was further enhanced by post heat-treatment at 60 °C for 30 min. The fabricated scaffold showed linear elasticity followed by densification without catastrophic failure, owing to the rubbery characteristic of the PCL polymer.