A simple method for fabricating polymer/ceramic functionally graded material scaffold

Functional graded materials (FGMs) such as polymer/ceramic composite have emerged as a prospective candidate for orthopedic implants, as they enable the incorporation of diverse material properties with mechanical biomimetic and biocompatibility of bone scaffolds. This study presents a novel approach for fabricating FGM scaffolds using a simplified additive manufacturing and impregnation-curing process, aiming to develop hydrophilic scaffolds with excellent mechanical properties. The graded composition of the scaffold was confirmed through micro-CT and SEM, with hydroxyapatite (HA) particles embedded on the surface of Polylactic-acid (PLA) scaffold. The outermost layer exhibited a uniform distribution of HA with rough morphology, enhancing the hydrophilicity by 20 %. While the internal graded pure PLA core contributed to excellent mechanical strength. By adopting a programmable triply periodic minimal surfaces (TPMS) approach, the relative density of the PLA core has been adjusted to tailor scaffold's mechanical properties. This innovative fabrication method opens avenues for polymer/ceramic composite development in orthopedic implants to enhance long-term stability and biocompatibility.