Microcellular injection molding of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) scaffolds using carbon dioxide and water as co-blowing agents

Hao Yang Mi, Xin Jing, Lih Sheng Turng*, Xiang Fang Peng

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

3 Scopus citations

Abstract

In this study, a novel microcellular injection foaming method employing supercritical CO2 (scCO2) and water as co-blowing agents was developed to produce thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) tissue engineering scaffolds with a uniform porous structure and no solid skin layer. Various characterization techniques were applied to investigate the cell morphology, crystallization behavior, and static and dynamic mechanical properties of solid molded samples, foamed samples using CO2 or water as a single blowing agent, and foamed samples using both CO2 and water as co-blowing agents. Compared with CO2 foamed scaffolds, scaffolds produced by the co-blowing method exhibit much more uniform cell morphologies without a noticeable reduction in mechanical properties. Moreover, these TPU scaffolds have almost no skin layer, which permits free transport of nutrients and waste throughout the samples, which is highly desirable in tissue engineering. The effect of these blowing agents on the shear viscosity of various samples is also reported.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationASME 2013 International Manufacturing Science and Engineering Conference Collocated with the 41st North American Manufacturing Research Conference, MSEC 2013
DOIs
StatePublished - 2013
Externally publishedYes
EventASME 2013 International Manufacturing Science and Engineering Conference Collocated with the 41st North American Manufacturing Research Conference, MSEC 2013 - Madison, WI, United States
Duration: 10 06 201314 06 2013

Publication series

NameASME 2013 International Manufacturing Science and Engineering Conference Collocated with the 41st North American Manufacturing Research Conference, MSEC 2013
Volume1

Conference

ConferenceASME 2013 International Manufacturing Science and Engineering Conference Collocated with the 41st North American Manufacturing Research Conference, MSEC 2013
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityMadison, WI
Period10/06/1314/06/13

Keywords

  • Co-blowing agents
  • Microcellular injection molding
  • Thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU)
  • Tissue engineering scaffolds

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