Stereolithographic and molding fabrications of hydroxyapatite-polymer gels applicable to bone regeneration materials

A bone regeneration material was fabricated from hydroxyapatite-poly(dimethyl acrylamide) (HAp-PDMAAm) composite through stereolithographic 3D printing technique, and additionally, a material from HAp-agarose composite was also prepared inside a mold. Then the tensile strength and morphology of both bone regeneration materials were compared. The HAp-PDMAAm composite xerogel from 0.17 weight ratio of HAp content can resist a tensile stress of 30.2 MPa, whereas 26.2 MPa was observed in case of agarose bone composite 0.5 weight ratio of HAp content. The achieved mechanical strengths indicate that the products can be applicable as bone regenerative medicine and the utilized fabrication technique plays a significant role toward patient-specific bioprinting technology. (C) 2018 Taiwan Institute of Chemical Engineers. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.