Stiff macro-porous bioactive glass–ceramic scaffold: Fabrication by rapid prototyping template, characterization and in vitro bioactivity

Bioactive glass–ceramic scaffolds with interconnected pore networks suitable for bone regeneration were produced through rapid prototyping techniques by a photosensitive resin mold. The 45S5 Bioglass® was used in this study with a composition (wt%): 45% SiO2, 24.5% CaO, 24.5% Na2O and 6% P2O5. All variables in the process were investigated systematically to devise an optimal process. Characterization methods such as XRD, FTIR and FESEM were used for determination of the in vitro bioactivity of the scaffolds after immersion in SBF. The results show that hydroxycarbonate apatite crystals formed and to be a layer in 14 days. The compressive strength of the scaffolds was approximately 12.37 ± 1.25 MPa for the well-defined interconnected pores with a mean diameter of 900 μm, which is thought to be a suitable porous network for vascularized bone regeneration. This scaffold has the potential to bond to bone for application in bone repair and regeneration.