Additive Manufacturing of PCL Scaffolds for Bone Regeneration

• Jada Moore, Biomedical Engineering, Delaware State University

• Michael Hast, Mechanical Engineering, University of Delaware

While a bone can typically regenerate on its own, large gaps will disrupt cellular communication and require additional support to heal properly. In these cases, a scaffold is needed to bridge the gap and guide regeneration. We use additive manufacturing, commonly known as 3D printing, to fabricate scaffolds from polycaprolactone (PCL), a biodegradable and biocompatible polymer, to support cell attachment, migration, and bone regrowth. PCL begins to degrade within a year of implantation, allowing newly formed bone to progressively replace the scaffold, which fully degrades after 2-3 years. To support bone regeneration, scaffolds must have intricate lattice structures that promote cell infiltration and bone growth. Additive manufacturing provides the precision needed to fabricate these complex architectures, but printing with PCL presents challenges due to its low melting point and high viscosity. Our goal is to develop scaffolds that can be enhanced with orthobiologics, such as zinc, to better support bone regeneration in critical-sized defects.