Surface characterization of polycaprolactone and carbonyl iron powder composite fabricated by solvent cast 3D printing for tissue engineering

Abstract In tissue engineering applications, various synthetic biodegradable polymers have got attention due to their excellent physical as well as biological properties. Polycaprolactone (PCL) has been identified as one of the best biocompatible polymers, which have wide applications in biomedical engineering. The surface properties of PCL have limited its utilization in tissue engineering. The researchers have also focused on the development of the PCL blends to enhance the surface characteristics. In the present study, carbonyl iron powder (CIP) reinforced PCL blends were fabricated by the solvent cast 3D printing (SC‐3DP) technique. The characterization techniques such as X‐ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy, and surface energy measurement by contact angle were used. The surface free energy of all the surfaces with their polar components was determined by Owens Wendt method. The fibroblasts cell responses were also examined for the assessment of biological properties. The results revealed that the increase in the percentage of CIP in the PCL matrix enhanced the value of surface free energy. The CIP reinforcement influenced the topography and surface roughness of the prepared composites. The change in surface properties affected the cell interactions on the surfaces, as investigated by cell viability test. The cell adhesion and viability were improved at a lower percentage of CIP.