Freeform extrusion fabrication of titanium fiber reinforced 13-93 bioactive glass scaffolds.

Although implants made with bioactive glass have shown promising results for bone repair, their application in repairing load-bearing long bone is limited due to their poor mechanical properties in comparison to human bone. This work investigates the freeform extrusion fabrication of bioactive silicate 13-93 glass scaffolds reinforced with titanium (Ti) fibers. A composite paste prepared with 13-93 glass and Ti fibers (~16µm in diameter and lengths varying from ~200µm to ~2 mm) was extruded through a nozzle to fabricate scaffolds (0-90° filament orientation pattern) on a heated plate. The sintered scaffolds measured pore sizes ranging from 400 to 800µm and a porosity of ~50%. Scaffolds with 0.4vol% Ti fibers measured fracture toughness of ~0.8MPam1/2 and a flexural strength of ~15MPa. 13-93 glass scaffolds without Ti fibers had a toughness of ~0.5MPam1/2 and a strength of ~10MPa. The addition of Ti fibers increased the fracture toughness of the scaffolds by ~70% and flexural strength by ~40%. The scaffolds' biocompatibility and their degradation in mechanical properties in vitro were assessed by immersing the scaffolds in a simulated body fluid over a period of one to four weeks.

Freeform extrusion fabrication of titanium fiber reinforced 13-93 bioactive glass scaffolds.

Although implants made with bioactive glass have shown promising results for bone repair, their application in repairing load-bearing long bone is limited due to their poor mechanical properties in comparison to human bone. This work investigates the freeform extrusion fabrication of bioactive silicate 13-93 glass scaffolds reinforced with titanium (Ti) fibers. A composite paste prepared with 13-93 glass and Ti fibers (~16µm in diameter and lengths varying from ~200µm to ~2 mm) was extruded through a nozzle to fabricate scaffolds (0-90° filament orientation pattern) on a heated plate. The sintered scaffolds measured pore sizes ranging from 400 to 800µm and a porosity of ~50%. Scaffolds with 0.4vol% Ti fibers measured fracture toughness of ~0.8MPam1/2 and a flexural strength of ~15MPa. 13-93 glass scaffolds without Ti fibers had a toughness of ~0.5MPam1/2 and a strength of ~10MPa. The addition of Ti fibers increased the fracture toughness of the scaffolds by ~70% and flexural strength by ~40%. The scaffolds' biocompatibility and their degradation in mechanical properties in vitro were assessed by immersing the scaffolds in a simulated body fluid over a period of one to four weeks.

A Novel Approach to Developing Biomimetic ("Nacre-Like") Metal-Compliant-Phase (Nickel-Alumina) Ceramics through Coextrusion.

Bioinspired "brick-and-mortar" alumina ceramics containing a nickel compliant phase are synthesized by coextrusion of alumina and nickel oxide. Results show that these structures are coarser yet exhibit exceptional resistance-curve behavior with a fracture toughness three or more times higher than that of alumina, consistent with significant extrinsic toughening, from crack bridging and "brick" pull-out, in the image of natural nacre.

Mechanical properties of bioactive glass (13-93) scaffolds fabricated by robotic deposition for structural bone repair.

There is a need to develop synthetic scaffolds to repair large defects in load-bearing bones. Bioactive glasses have attractive properties as a scaffold material for bone repair, but data on their mechanical properties are limited. The objective of the present study was to comprehensively evaluate the mechanical properties of strong porous scaffolds of silicate 13-93 bioactive glass fabricated by robocasting. As-fabricated scaffolds with a grid-like microstructure (porosity 47%, filament diameter 330µm, pore width 300µm) were tested in compressive and flexural loading to determine their strength, elastic modulus, Weibull modulus, fatigue resistance, and fracture toughness. Scaffolds were also tested in compression after they were immersed in simulated body fluid (SBF) in vitro or implanted in a rat subcutaneous model in vivo. As fabricated, the scaffolds had a strength of 86±9MPa, elastic modulus of 13±2GPa, and a Weibull modulus of 12 when tested in compression. In flexural loading the strength, elastic modulus, and Weibull modulus were 11±3MPa, 13±2GPa, and 6, respectively. In compression, the as-fabricated scaffolds had a mean fatigue life of ∼10(6) cycles when tested in air at room temperature or in phosphate-buffered saline at 37°C under cyclic stresses of 1-10 or 2-20MPa. The compressive strength of the scaffolds decreased markedly during the first 2weeks of immersion in SBF or implantation in vivo, but more slowly thereafter. The brittle mechanical response of the scaffolds in vitro changed to an elasto-plastic response after implantation for longer than 2-4weeks in vivo. In addition to providing critically needed data for designing bioactive glass scaffolds, the results are promising for the application of these strong porous scaffolds in loaded bone repair.

Effect of material, process parameters, and simulated body fluids on mechanical properties of 13-93 bioactive glass porous constructs made by selective laser sintering.

The effect of particle size distribution, binder content, processing parameters, and sintering schedule on the microstructure and mechanical properties of porous constructs was investigated. The porous constructs were produced by indirect selective laser sintering (SLS) of 13-93 bioactive glass using stearic acid as a polymeric binder. The binder content and d(50) particle size in the feedstock powders were simultaneously reduced from 22 to 12 wt% and from 20 to 11 µm, respectively, to identify the minimum binder content required for the SLS fabrication. An average particle size of ∼16 µm with a binder content of 15 wt% significantly reduced post-processing time and improved mechanical properties. Increasing the laser power and scan speed at the energy density of 1 cal/cm² maintained the feature sharpness of the parts during the fabrication of green parts and could almost double the mechanical properties of the sintered parts. Changes in the heating rates, ranging from 0.1 to 2 °C/min, during the post-processing of the fabricated "green" scaffolds showed that the heating rate significantly affects the densification and mechanical properties of the sintered scaffolds. The compressive strength of the scaffolds manufactured with the optimized parameters varied from 41 MPa, for a scaffold with a porosity of ∼50%, to 157 MPa, for a dense part. The bioactive scaffolds soaked in simulated body fluids for durations up to 6 weeks were used to evaluate the change in mechanical properties in vitro.

Fabrication of 13-93 bioactive glass scaffolds for bone tissue engineering using indirect selective laser sintering.

Bioactive glasses are promising materials for bone scaffolds due to their ability to assist in tissue regeneration. When implanted in vivo, bioactive glasses can convert into hydroxyapatite, the main mineral constituent of human bone, and form a strong bond with the surrounding tissues, thus providing an advantage over polymer scaffold materials. Bone scaffold fabrication using additive manufacturing techniques can provide control over pore interconnectivity during fabrication of the scaffold, which helps in mimicking human trabecular bone. 13-93 glass, a third-generation bioactive material designed to accelerate the body's natural ability to heal itself, was used in the research described herein to fabricate bone scaffolds using the selective laser sintering (SLS) process. 13-93 glass mixed with stearic acid (as the polymer binder) by ball milling was used as the powder feedstock for the SLS machine. The fabricated green scaffolds underwent binder burnout to remove the stearic acid binder and were then sintered at temperatures between 675 °C and 695 °C. The sintered scaffolds had pore sizes ranging from 300 to 800 µm with 50% apparent porosity and an average compressive strength of 20.4 MPa, which is excellent for non-load bearing applications and among the highest reported for an interconnected porous scaffold fabricated with bioactive glasses using the SLS process. The MTT labeling experiment and measurements of MTT formazan formation are evidence that the rough surface of SLS scaffolds provides a cell-friendly surface capable of supporting robust cell growth.