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Demixing Time and Temperature Influence on Porosity and Interconnection of PLLA Scaffolds Prepared via TIPS
Author(s) -
Brucato V.,
Pavia F. Carfì,
La Carrubba V.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
macromolecular symposia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.257
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1521-3900
pISSN - 1022-1360
DOI - 10.1002/masy.200951206
Subject(s) - materials science , binodal , porosity , nucleation , metastability , interconnection , spinodal decomposition , chemical engineering , phase (matter) , ternary operation , spinodal , thermodynamics , composite material , chemistry , phase diagram , organic chemistry , computer network , physics , computer science , engineering , programming language
Scaffolds suitable for tissue engineering applications were prepared by Thermally Induced Phase Separation (TIPS) starting from a ternary solution PLLA/dioxane/water. The experimental protocol consisted of three consecutive steps, a first quench from the homogeneous solution to an appropriate demixing temperature (within the binodal region), a liquid‐liquid demixing stage for a given time and a final quench from the demixing temperature to a low temperature (within the spinodal region). A large variety of morphologies, in terms of average pore size and interconnection were obtained upon modifying the demixing time and temperature, owing to the interplay of nucleation and growth processes during the residence in the metastable state. An interesting combination of micro and macro‐porosity was observed for longer demixing times (above 30 min at 35 °C).