Fabrication of dual-pore scaffolds using SLUP (salt leaching using powder) and WNM (wire-network molding) techniques

In this study, a novel technique was proposed to fabricate dual-pore scaffolds combining both SUP (salt leaching using powder) and WNM (wire-network molding) techniques. This technique has several advantages: solvent-free, no limit on the use of thermoplastic polymers as a raw material, and easiness of fabricating scaffolds with dual-scale pores that are interconnected randomized small pores. To fabricate dual-pore scaffolds, PCL and NaCl powders were mixed at a certain ratio. Subsequently, needles were inserted into a designed mold, and the mixture was filled into the mold thereafter. Subsequently, after the mold was pressurized, the mold was heated to melt the PCL powders. The PCL/NaCl structure and needles were separated from the mold. The structure was sonicated to leach-out the NaCl particles and was dried. Consequently, the remaining PCL structure became the dual-pore scaffold. To compare the characteristics of dual-pore scaffolds, control scaffolds, which are 3D plotter and SLUP scaffolds were fabricated. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.