Abstract
Newly approach using the formation process of polymer foam is introduced in this study to prepare porous hydroxyapatite (HAp) scaffolds for bone tissue engineering applications, which could provide a better control over the microstructures of scaffolds and enhance their mechanical properties. The scaffolds prepared have an open, relatively uniform and interconnected porous structure with a pore size ranging 50 to 300 µm. A compressive strength of 5 MPa for the scaffolds with HAp content 80 wt% and higher porosity of 77% was achieved. The pore morphology and size of the scaffolds were characterized using a scanning electron microscopy. X-ray diifraction was used to determine the crystal structure. Scaffolds with desired porosity, pore size, and geometry could be prepared by using the formation process of polymer foam with controlling process parameters.
