Fabrication and Characterization of 3D-printed Antibacterial Bioactive Glass /Polycaprolactone Nanocomposite Scaffolds

In this study, three-dimensional polycaprolactone (PCL)-based scaffolds with controlled pore architecture were fabricated from sol-gel-derived bioactive glass containing 2% mol Ag (BAG) via robocasting technique. This method was implemented due to its advantageous features, including its high reproducibility, versatility in shapes and sizes, and customizability. The Taguchi method was employed to determine the experimental parameters for preparing optimized printable BAG /PCL nanocomposite inks, with five groups of printable inks. The printed scaffolds were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, simultaneous thermal analysis, Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. The heat-treated BAG nanopowder at 550 degrees C exhibited an average particle size diameter of less than 15 nm with a homogenous silver distribution without any additional phase. Based on SEM images of BAG /PCL nanocomposite scaffolds, the regularity of printed structure depends on the weight% of powder and PCL. The BAG75P30 and BAG65P50 with 65 and 75%wt of BAG powder possessed the best regular structures (microscopic rods and also the well-designed macropores, lumen about 500 mu m) with higher porosity (61-64%). All the fabricated scaffolds provided acceptable cell viability according to the MTT assay. The cells cultured on BAG75P30, BAG65P40, and BAG65P50 showed the highest ALP activity compared to other groups. Also, these three groups represented significant antibacterial properties among the groups. The 3D-printed BAG /PCL nanocomposite scaffolds with macro and micropores in the structure can be a promising candidate for bone tissue engineering to promote tissue restoration due to their structure and also antibacterial properties resulting from silver in the composition.