Bioactive Tetracalcium Phosphate Scaffolds Fabricated by Selective Laser Sintering for Bone Regeneration Applications

Tetracalcium phosphate (TTCP), a potential biological scaffold material, has attracted increasing interest for bone regeneration applications due to its good biodegradability and biocompatibility. In this research, three-dimensional porous TTCP scaffolds were manufactured via selective laser sintering (SLS), and an in-depth and meticulous study on the influence of laser power on the microstructure and mechanical properties of TTCP scaffolds was performed. The results showed that the TTCP particles fused together and formed a solid object due to the decrease in the number of micro-pores in the scaffold as the laser power increased from 6 W to 9 W. The maximum compressive strength that the scaffold could withstand and the strength of the fracture toughness were 11.87 ± 0.64 MPa and 1.12 ± 0.1 MPa·m(1/2), respectively. When the laser power increased from 9 W to 10 W, the TTCP grains grew abnormally, resulting in diminished mechanical properties. The bioactivity tests showed that the surfaces of the scaffolds were entirely covered by bone-like apatite layers after soaking in simulated body fluid (SBF) for three days, indicating that the scaffolds exhibit excellent bioactivity. Moreover, cell experiments showed that the TTCP scaffolds had good biocompatibility. This study indicated that SLS-fabricated TTCP scaffolds may be a promising candidate for bone regeneration applications.