Preparation and properties of multi-walled carbon nanotubes and eggshell dual-modified polycaprolactone composite scaffold

The combination of double-fillers with synthetic polymers has been an attractive route for developing bone scaffolds. In this article, polycaprolactone (PCL) scaffolds were produced using a selective laser sintering (SLS) technique; multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWC-NTs) and eggshell (ES) were used as two fillers to improve their mechanical and osteogenic properties. The crystal phase, morphology, hydrophilicity, biocompatibility and mechanical properties of the composite scaffold were detected using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope, water contact angle tester and in vitro cell test, respectively. Results show that ES improved the hydrophilicity and biocompatibility of the scaffolds obviously, whereas MWCNTs enhanced their compression and tensile strength. The PCL/ES/MWCNTs composited scaffold prepared by SLS possess excellent biocompatibility and mechanical strength, showing a potential application for bone repair.