SIM-AM 2025

Evaluation of 3D Printed Network and Sheet TPMS Scaffolds for Bone Tissue Engineering

  • Ricuperati, Veronica (Università degli Studi di Pavia)
  • Santos, Jorge (IDMEC)
  • Todescato, Francesca (IDMEC)
  • Pires, Tiago (IDMEC)
  • Fernandes, Paulo (IDMEC)
  • Conti, Michele (Università degli Studi di Pavia)
  • Castro, André (ESTSetúbal)

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Triply periodic minimal surfaces (TPMS) are widely studied for bone tissue engineering (BTE), given their versatility and favourable mechanical behaviour [1]. This study aims to evaluate how the selection of a given configuration (network or sheet), together with different geometries and porosity levels, affects the mechanical properties of TPMS-based scaffolds prepared for BTE applications [2]. The scaffolds were produced on a MultiJet MJP 3600 3D printer, using the proprietary material Visijet Crystal [2]. Twelve variations of TPMS scaffolds were examined: three different geometries Schwarz Diamond (SD), Gyroid (SG) and Schwarz Primitive (SP), at two porosity levels (60% and 70%), designed with network and sheet structural configurations, using LISBON TPMS TOOL [3]. Strain-controlled compression tests until failure were performed to assess key mechanical properties, including (equivalent) Young's modulus, yield stress and yield strain. The outputs indicate that most sheet structures (from 0.088 MPa for SP70 to 0.168 MPa SD60) show higher stiffness than network ones (from 0.059 MPa for SG70 to 0.227 MPa SP60, having that for SP is an exception within network structures). For both structural configurations, the calculated values for the (equivalent) Young Modulus of the scaffolds are in line with that of Human trabecular bone, which is known to range from 0.05 to 2 GPa [1,2]. The results of this study seem to confirm that the mechanical properties of TPMS-based scaffolds are influenced by their structural configuration, geometry and porosity levels. As in previous studies, the Young’s modulus decreases as porosity increases [2], but the geometrical configuration has a strong influence. Sheet structures show potential for applications requiring more robust mechanical behaviour, but more studies on the permeability of the network structures and numerical simulations (Finite Element Analysis and Computational Fluid Dynamics) are necessary to extrapolate additional scaffolds configurations [3] and further BTE applications.