Composite bioceramic scaffolds with controllable photothermal performance fabricated by digital light processing and vacuum infiltration

Photothermal scaffolds can help clear bone tumor cells after resection. In this work, hydroxyapatite-akermanite-Fe3O4 (HA-AK-FE) bioceramic scaffolds were fabricated by infiltrating digital light processing (DLP)-printed HA-AK scaffolds in nano-Fe3O4 solution. The prepared HA-AK-FE samples exhibited excellent and controllable photothermal performance under the irradiation of 808 nm near-infrared light. By controlling nano-Fe3O4 concentration, irradiation power and infiltration time, temperature of HA-AK-FE samples could be regulated in a wide range from room temperature to 150 °C within 15 s. Photothermal temperature remained stable after 4 times repeated irradiations. In SBF solution and under subcutaneous tissue, the heating rate and photothermal temperature decreased obviously compared with in air, but they could still meet the needs of killing tumors (41–48 °C). The Fe release concentration of wafers after immersing in SBF for 1 day was 0.037 mg/L and non-venomous. These results confirm the feasibility and controllability of fabricating photothermal scaffolds by coating nano-Fe3O4 with vacuum infiltration, and the prepared HA-AK-FE scaffolds are hopeful to be used in photothermal therapy of bone tumors.