Hybrid Coextrusion and Lamination Process for Macrochanneled Bioceramic Scaffolds

A hybrid coextrusion and lamination process has been developed to fabricate macrochanneled bioceramic scaffolds. This process was mainly composed of three steps (i.e., coextrusion of thermoplastic compound, lamination, and thermal treatment), forming unique pore channels in dense bioceramic body. Pore channels were formed by removing carbon black material, while calcium phosphate or Tetragonal Zirconia Polycrystals (TZP) with a calcium phosphate coating layer were used as dense body. Two kinds of pore structures were fabricated; that is, the pore channels were formed in uni- or three-directional array. Such macrochanneled bioceramic scaffolds exhibited the precisely controlled pore structure (pore size, porosity, and interconnection), offering excellent mechanical properties and cellular responses.