In vitro degradation and fracture toughness of multilayered porous poly(propylene fumarate)/?-tricalcium phosphate scaffolds

✍ Scribed by Wolfe, Michael S. ;Dean, David ;Chen, Jeffrey E. ;Fisher, John P. ;Han, Seungho ;Rimnac, Clare M. ;Mikos, Antonios G.

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2002
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 668 KB
• Volume: 61
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0021-9304
• DOI: 10.1002/jbm.10058

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

This study investigated the in vitro degradation of poly(propylene fumarate)/β‐tricalcium phosphate (PPF/β‐TCP) scaffolds in pH 7.4 phosphate‐buffered saline at 37°C. Scaffold design consisted of three layers: two solid layers about a central layer of porous PPF foam. Solid PPF with molecular weights of 810 and 1450 Da was crosslinked under UV light. PPF foam was prepared by a photocrosslinking, porogen‐leaching method with an initial porogen content of 80 wt % and two sizes, 150–300 and 300–500 μm. Comparison of initial and residual weights demonstrated a 14.3 ± 2.0% loss of mass at 3 weeks and a 16.6 ± 1.8% loss of mass at 6 weeks. Observed pH values for all constructs remained stable (7.15–7.40) throughout the 3 to 6 weeks. Scanning electron micrographs of these scaffolds revealed some loss of foam material between 3 and 6 weeks; however, foam microarchitecture was intact. Solid PPF fracture toughness was tested for high and low molecular weight PPF, 0.376 ± 0.004 and 0.134 ± 0.015 MPa(m)^1/2^, respectively. These values are roughly one magnitude less than human cortical bone. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res 61: 159–164, 2002