Ti0_2 foams with poly-(D,L-lactic acid) (PDLLA) and PDLLA/Bioglass _ coatings for bone tissue engineering scaffolds

摘要

Ti0_2 foam-like scaffolds with pore size - 300 μm and >95% porosity were fabricated by the foam replication method. A new approach to improve the structural integrity of the as-sintered foams, which exhibit extremely low compression strength, was explored by coating them with poly-(D,L-lactic acid) (PDLLA) or PDLLA/Bioglass_ layers. The PDLLA coating was shown to improve the mechanical properties of the scaffold: the compressive strength was increased by a factor of 7. The composite coating involving Bioglass_ particles was shown to impart the rutile Ti0_2 scaffold with the necessary bioactivity for the intended applications in bone tissue engineering. A dense hydroxyapatite layer formed on the surface of the foams upon immersion in simulated body fluid for 1 week.