“Wet-State” Mechanical Properties of Three-Dimensional Polyester Porous Scaffolds
writer：Linbo Wu, Junchuan Zhang, Dianying Jing, Jiandong Ding*
keywords：tissue engineering， tissue induction， porous scaffold，mechanical property，biodegradable polymer
source：期刊
specific source：J Biomed Mater Res 76A(2):264-271, 2006.2
Issue time：2006年
Porous poly(d,l-lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) scaffolds under a simulated physiological environment were investigated to estimate their “true” mechanical properties, with emphasis on the effect of “wet-state” on the compressive
behaviors. The effect of the history of ethanol sterilization was also investigated. The studies were focused upon the “wet-state” mechanical properties of polyester porous scaffolds, because the potential implants must be used under
a wet environment. The measurements of three-dimensional porous scaffolds composed of amorphous PLGA with five polymer formulations including poly(d,l-lactic acid) (PDLLA) demonstrated that the mechanical properties of PLGA scaffolds significantly decreased in phosphate buffer saline solution (PBS) at 37°C and/or with an ethanol sterilization history, even though PLGA is a hydrophobic material.The decrease extent depends on the copolymer composition: when the porosity is about 90%, a PDLLA scaffold remained about 75–80% of initial mechanical properties in the dry state at 25°C, whereas PLGA 85:15, 75:25, and 65:35 scaffolds remained only about 10% or less, and the PLGA 50:50 scaffolds examined were not sufficiently strong for mechanical tests. If scaffolds were rewetted with ethanol ahead of prewetting with PBS, the mechanical properties
further decreased compared with those merely prewetted with PBS. These phenomena were elucidated experimentally from plasticization of PLGA with water or ethanol, and the consequent reduction of glass transition temperature. The
results might be helpful for designing polyester porous scaffolds for tissue engineering or in situ tissue induction applications.