Processing of polycaprolactone porous structure for scaffold development

The study investigated the processing of biodegradable porous scaffold of polycaprolactone (PCL). Commercially available PCL powder was blended with poly(vinyl alcohol) powder at various compositions to fabricate pre-scaffolds using the three-dimensional printing (3DP) technique followed by particulate-leaching. Structures at different porosity (50–70%) were processed and their properties were characterised using differential scanning calorimetry, dynamic mechanical analyser, scanning electronic micrography and gel-permeable chromotography. The scaffolds produced in this route displayed open cellular structures with macropores with pores sizes ranging between 100 and 500 μm. No significant degradation of PCL was detected. The storage modulus of the scaffold ranged 0.03–0.19 MPa.