Mechanical, thermal and morphological characterisation of 3D porous Pennisetum purpureum/PLA biocomposites scaffold

• Published in: Materials Science & Engineering C 2017-06, Vol.75, p.752-759
• Main Authors: Revati, R., Abdul Majid, M.S., Ridzuan, M.J.M., Normahira, M., Mohd Nasir, N.F., Rahman Y., M.N., Gibson, A.G.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Biocompatible Materials - chemistry; Biocomposites; Biomedical materials; Cartilage; Cellulose; Composite materials; Compression; Compressive Strength; Electron microscopy; Fourier transforms; Hemicellulose; Infrared analysis; Infrared spectroscopy; Leaching; Lignin; Materials science; Materials Testing; Mechanical properties; Mechanical property; Moisture content; Particulate composites; Pennisetum - chemistry; Pennisetum purpureum; Polyesters - chemistry; Polylactic acid; Porosity; Scaffold; Scaffolds; Scanning electron microscopy; Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; Thermogravimetric analysis; Thermogravimetry; Tissue engineering; Tissue Engineering - methods; Tissue Scaffolds - chemistry
• ISSN: 0928-4931; 1873-0191
• DOI: 10.1016/j.msec.2017.02.127

The mechanical, thermal, and morphological properties of a 3D porous Pennisetum purpureum (PP)/polylactic acid (PLA) based scaffold were investigated. In this study, a scaffold containing P. purpureum and PLA was produced using the solvent casting and particulate leaching method. P. purpureum fibre, also locally known as Napier grass, is composed of 46% cellulose, 34% hemicellulose, and 20% lignin. PLA composites with various P. purpureum contents (10%, 20%, and 30%) were prepared and subsequently characterised. The morphologies, structures and thermal behaviours of the prepared composite scaffolds were characterised using field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The morphology was studied using FESEM; the scaffold possessed 70–200μm-sized pores with a high level of interconnectivity. The moisture content and mechanical properties of the developed porous scaffolds were further characterised. The P. purpureum/PLA scaffold had a greater porosity factor (99%) and compression modulus (5.25MPa) than those of the pure PLA scaffold (1.73MPa). From the results, it can be concluded that the properties of the highly porous P. purpureum/PLA scaffold developed in this study can be controlled and optimised. This can be used to facilitate the construction of implantable tissue-engineered cartilage. •High interconnected pores with 99% of porosity were observed for the scaffolds.•The pore sizes of the P. purpureum/PLA scaffolds ranged from 69 to 215μm.•Addition of fillers improves the thermal properties and stability of the scaffolds.•PLA-PP30 scaffold showed enhanced compression modulus from 1.73 to 5.25MPa.