Evaluation of the physico‐mechanical properties, mineralization capability, degradability and biological behavior of PCL/SBG composite scaffolds fabricated by three‐dimensional fiber deposition

Abstract In bone tissue engineering, polycaprolactone (PCL) has been extensively employed as a bone substitute due to its good biocompatibility, outstanding mechanical properties, controllable degradation rate, and excellent processability. However, PCL is a bioinert polymer with poor hydrophilicity, and it fails to actively induce new bone formation after implantation into the lesion. Therefore, it is generally necessary to find a bioactive material to improve these deficiencies of PCL. In this study, we first prepared a silicate‐based bioactive glass (SBG, 48SiO 2 ‐24Na 2 O‐24CaO‐4P 2 O 5 , in mol%) using the melt‐quenching method, and then fabricated a series of PCL/SBG composite scaffolds with varying SBG powder contents (0, 10, 20, 30, and 40 wt.%) by 3D fiber deposition. The physico‐mechanical properties, mineralization capability, degradability and biological behavior of PCL/SBG scaffolds were systematically characterized. The results showed that the contact angle of the scaffolds decreased from 121.90 ± 3.74° to 86.29 ± 3.46° with the increase of SBG content, implying that the hydrophilicity was improved, and meanwhile the porosity and mechanical strength of PCL/SBG scaffolds first increased and then decreased, but they were within the range of human cancellous bone. Additionally, the degradation rate of PCL/SBG groups can be regulated by adjusting the SBG content. Finally, compared to the pure PCL group, the cell viability and alkaline phosphatase activity of MC3T3‐E1 on PCL/SBG groups were significantly enhanced. In the present work, the PCL/30SBG group exhibited great potential as a viable alternative to autografts and offers promising clinical applications for bone defect repair in the future. Highlights The addition of SBG powders accelerates the degradation of PCL. The addition of SBG powders enhances the hydrophilicity of PCL scaffolds. The degradation rate and bioactivity of PCL/SBG scaffolds can be regulated. The mechanical strength is within the range of human cancellous bone. PCL/30SBG shows improved cell viability and ALP activity.