Optimisation of trabecular bone mimicking silicon-hydroxyapatite based composite scaffolds processed through selective laser melting
Antonia Ressler,
Nikhil Kamboj,
Hrvoje Ivanković,
Irina Hussainova
Affiliations
Antonia Ressler
Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology, University of Zagreb, HR-10000, Zagreb, Marulićev trg 19, Croatia; Corresponding author. Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology, University of Zagreb, HR-10000, Zagreb, Marulićev trg 19, p.p.177, Croatia.
Nikhil Kamboj
Tallinn University of Technology, Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Ehitajate 5, 19086, Tallinn, Estonia; Turku Clinical Biomaterials Centre-TCBC, Department of Biomaterials Science, Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Dentistry, University of Turku, FI-20014, Turku, Finland; Corresponding author. Tallinn University of Technology, Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Ehitajate 5, 19086, Tallinn.
Hrvoje Ivanković
Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology, University of Zagreb, HR-10000, Zagreb, Marulićev trg 19, Croatia
Irina Hussainova
Tallinn University of Technology, Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Ehitajate 5, 19086, Tallinn, Estonia
Additive manufacturing is a rapid prototyping technology to produce complex three-dimensional scaffolds suitable for personalized medicine. In the present study, the laser powder bed fusion through a selective laser melting (SLM) approach has been applied to optimized fabrication of bio-mimicking scaffolds by using hydroxyapatite (HAp, 50 and 70 wt%) and silicon powder mixture. In situ formation of pseudo-wollastonite (P–W, CaSiO3) has been detected along with silicon for 50 wt% of HAp powder mixture, while an increase in HAp content has resulted in P–W, silicon and larnite (Ca₂SiO₄) formation. The pore size of 400 μm, according to the CAD model, are observed at the scaffolds fabricated at the shortest exposure time (50 μs), lowest laser current (500 mA) and energy density (41.6 J/mm3), and simultaneously at the highest scanning speed. Compressive stress demonstrated by the fabricated scaffolds is shown to be acceptable for their use in metaphyseal region of long bones.
