Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
development of ecacious customised scaffolds for bone tissue engi-
neering remains a fruitful endeavour and moves ever closer to the
clinic. Real-world off-the-shelf alternatives to the current and very limited
therapeutic approaches to treat large bone defects are not far away.
Ongoing advancements in biofabrication means we can expect these
additive technologies to become more commonplace for osteochondral
applications.
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A Appendix: Methods Section
A.1 Mixing Polycaprolactone with Bioactive Glass Particles by
Fast Precipitation into Excess 100% Ethanol
85
This method of PCL-BG composite mixing is inexpensive and can be easily
adapted in any laboratory with basic set-up. This method works on the
principle of displacing the chloroform into 100% ethanol, precipitating solid
PCL-BG composite. When mixing composites using this method, it is rec-
ommended that the total volume of PCL-BG mixture does not exceed
100 mL. This method can also be adapted for mixing other types of particles
(e.g., carbon nanotubes, tricalcium phosphate particles, or hydroxyapatite
particles) into PCL bulk.
1. Dissolve PCL pellets in chloroform to make 10% (w/v) PCL solution at
room temperature.
2. Add the desired wt% of BG particles relative to the PCL mass into the
PCL solution. Ensure that the PCL is completely dissolved before the
addition of BG particles.
.
NOTE: To avoid large agglomeration of BG particles, it is recommended
to sieve the BG while adding it to the PCL solution. This will also help in
standardising the stirring time for Step 3.
3. Stir the PCL-bioactive glass mixture using a magnetic stirrer until
homogenous. Stirring time should be standardised across all batches.
4. Critical step: with a slow and steady rate, pour the homogeneous
PCL-bioactive glass mixture into 100% ethanol under constant stirring.
Ensure the amount of 100% ethanol used is at least five-fold excess of
PCL-bioactive glass solution.
NOTE: The PCL-BG mixture should form a precipitate upon contact
with excess 100% ethanol. The precipitate can appear gluey if the
amount of ethanol used is insucient to effectively separate the solvent
from the PCL-bioactive glass mixture.
5. Isolate the solid PCL-bioactive glass composite by B¨chner filtration.
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