2007 Volume 59 Issue 6 Pages 492-499
Fabrication of very porous scaffold for regeneration of organs with high metabolic rate is reported. Polycaprolactone (PCL) powder was mixed with fine grains of sodium chloride as filler and SLS (Selective Laser Sintering) processed to develop an object including fine flow channel network. The object was rinsed with water to desolve the salt, and a high porosity of 90% was successfully obtained. In addition, unsintered powder in the channels was effectively removed owing to disappearance of the filler. Through micro-CT observation, it was confirmed that channels of which diameter was smaller than 1mm were fabricated. Measurement for the amount of residual salt proved that the salt can increase salt concentration of culture media no more than 1% of that for physiological saline solution. It is indicated that excessive sintering, which lowers geometrical resolution of laser sintering process using water leachable inorganic filler, is mainly caused by high speed heat conduction through the filler. Result of culture test is also reported.
