Polymer synthesis and scaffold fabrication

• Main Author: Zeng, Shiyan
• Other Authors: Tan Lay Poh
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2009
• Subjects: DRNTU::Engineering::Materials::Biomaterials
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/15370
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

This report is to document the Final Year Project (MSE08-092): Polymer synthesis and scaffold fabrication. Biodegradable elastomeric scaffolds are prepared using molar ratio 1:1 of Malic Acid and 1-12, decandiol. The polymer is synthesized by condensation polymerisation and processed with supercritical carbon dioxide to produce scaffolds with high porosity and interconnectivity. Thereafter, the fabricated scaffold’s mechanical integrity is then characterized in terms of using mechanical compression testing and the average pore size and porosity is characterized using SEM and Mercury Intrusion Porosimetry respectively. Numerous processing parameters such as double depressurizing methods, polymerization time, post-depressurizing holding pressure, saturation time were being investigated. The most ideal parameters used to fabricate the scaffold are: Polymerization time of 56 hours, using double depressurizing methods which saturates the polymer with the supercritical carbon dioxide for 2 times with a saturation pressure of 3500 psi for 60 minutes each time. Post-depressurizing holding pressure of 100 psi is then applied at the end of the double pressurization process to uphold the scaffold structure for 12 hours. The scaffold is then post cured for 2 weeks before characterization. The completed scaffold is highly interconnected with pore sizes averaging of about 102.646μm with a standard deviation of 20.617μm, and with an average porosity of 65.5186%, it has an elastic modulus of 0.32027 ± 0.04080MPa at body temperature. The scaffold fabricated is also suited for cell culture from cytoxicity tests. Biodegradable elastomeric scaffolds are prepared using molar ratio 1:1 of Malic Acid and 1-12,decandiol. The polymer is synthesized by condensation polymerisation and processed with supercritical carbon dioxide to produce scaffolds with high porosity and interconnectivity. Thereafter, the fabricated scaffold’s mechanical integrity is then characterized in terms of using mechanical compression testing and the average pore size and porosity is characterized using SEM and Mercury Intrusion Porosimetry respectively. Numerous processing parameters such as double depressurizing methods, polymerization time, post-depressurizing holding pressure, saturation time were being investigated. The most ideal parameters used to fabricate the scaffold are: Polymerization time of 56 hours, using double depressurizing methods which saturates the polymer with the supercritical carbon dioxide for 2 times with a saturation pressure of 3500 psi for 60 minutes each time. Post-depressurizing holding pressure of 100 psi is then applied at the end of the double pressurization process to uphold the scaffold structure for 12 hours. The scaffold is then post cured for 2 weeks before characterization. The completed scaffold is highly interconnected with pore sizes averaging of about 102.646μm with a standard deviation of 20.617μm, and with an average porosity of 65.5186%, it has an elastic modulus of 0.32027 ± 0.04080MPa at body temperature. The scaffold fabricated is also suited for cell culture from cytoxicity tests.