Influence of Hydroxyapatite on Extruded 3D Scaffolds

Ideal scaffolds for tissue engineering must mimic the complex characteristics of natural tissues and their mechanical performance. In this work, Polycaprolactone (PCL) and composite Polycaprolactone/Hydroxyapatite (PCL/HA) (75/25) scaffolds were produced by using an extrusion-based process called BioExtruder. The structures were characterized regarding the chemical, thermal, morphological and mechanical properties, in order to investigate the effect of HA addition in the polymeric scaffolds. Results show that the incorporation of HA in the 3D structures improve both the thermal and mechanical properties.