US 6,673,285 B2 · Reverse fabrication of porous materials

Abstract

3-D biodegradable porous, polymer (natural or synthetic) scaffolds with well-controlled, interconnected pores, and method for forming the porous materials. Hydrophilic and/or hydrophobic porogen materials were fabricated into 3-D negative replicas of the desired macroporous architectures. Biodegradable polymers (PLLA and PLGA) were dissolved in a solvent and cast onto the negative replica. After dissolving/leaching out the porogen materials, a porous polymer scaffold was formed. The skeletal structure of PLLA foams consisted of small platelets or nano-fibers, while PLGA foams had homogeneous skeletal structure. To improve the cell seeding, distribution, mass transport, and new tissue organization and vascularization, 3-D macroporous architectures are built in the nano-fibrous matrices. The method tailors polymer scaffolds for a variety of potential tissue engineering applications due to the well-controlled architecture, inter-pore connectivity, and mechanical properties.

Claims37

Dependent claims

A method for forming a porous material, the method comprising the steps of:

casting a natural or synthetic composition onto a negative replica of a desired macroporous architecture of the porous material, thereby forming a body, shaped porogen materials having been assembled into a predesigned three-dimensional configuration, wherein the predesigned three-dimensional configuration is the negative replica;
and
removing the porogen materials from the body, thereby forming the porous material having the desired macroporous architecture.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Reverse fabrication of porous materials

Life of this patent

Reverse fabrication of porous materials

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims37