Solid Freeform Fabrication of Calcium Polyphosphate Dual-Porous Structure Osteochondral Scaffold

In this work the solid freeform fabrication (SFF) of dual-porous structure scaffolds using the 3D-printing method is investigated. The structure, including a cartilage substrate and a bone scaffold with different porosities and pore sizes, provide a suitable facility for repairing the osteochondral tissues in the implanted site. Calcium polyphosphate (CPP), with distinct particle sizes for each portion, was utilized as the biomaterial. Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), as a biocompatible polymer was also used as a binder to adhere the CPP particles upon injecting of a solvent through the 3D-printing process. The prototyped parts are finally post-processed in the controlled furnace to obtain the required bio-mechanical properties. The biomechanical properties of the fabricated samples are also characterized by the X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and density analysis.