Techniques for fabrication and construction of three-dimensional bioceramic scaffolds: Effect on pores size, porosity and compressive strength

Abstract Three dimensional bioceramic scaffolds can be produced by several fabrication methods. Selecting the appropriate fabrication method requires a detailed investigation to produce scaffold with required properties. The present study aims to compare five different fabrication methods which are replication methods, combination of sacrificial template and direct foaming, freeze casting, gelate-freeze casting and salt leaching. Here, the discussion centers on comparison of these five fabrication methods, their respective advantages and disadvantages and parameters involve in the fabrication methods. Morphology and mechanical properties of the β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) scaffold produced from these methods were compared and discussed. Highly porous β-TCP scaffolds with porosity of more than 50% and pore size of at least 100 µm have been fabricated using these methods. The compressive strength of the fabricated scaffolds is in the range of 0.05–2.0 MPa. It is observed that the properties of β-TCP scaffolds are influenced by the raw materials required by each of the processing, solid concentration and processing parameter. In conclusion, the gelate-freeze casting fabrication method with cellular structure shows the higher compressive strength and comparable pore size and porosity compared to other fabrication methods.