Direct Ink Writing 3D Printing of Bioactive Silicate Ceramics: Hardystonite-Based Solid Solution from Preceramic Polymer Emulsions

Bone tissue is metabolically active and undergo continuous remodelling throughout life to help them adapt to changing biomechanical forces. This tissue is made of mineralized connective tissue that exhibits four types of cells. Despite bone is a unique organ with the capacity to self-repair and regenerate, in cases where there is a large bone defect caused by significant trauma or systemic disease, bone infections, a compromised bone supply or pathological fractures this ability can fail. Furthermore, this regenerative ability declines with increasing age, as reflected in osteoporosis. Currently, since the gold standard of treatment for bone defects remains bone grafting, however, it has some drawbacks. Therefore, some engineered bone substitutes can be developed aiming to help bone tissue to grow. To do this, glass ceramic scaffolds showed great result. The aim of this study was to synthesize and characterize 3D scaffolds made of different hardystonite-åkermanite solid solutions obtained through direct ink writing 3D printing (DIW) varying stoichiometry coefficients. The ink consisted in a pre-ceramic polymer emulsion. After printing, samples have been exposed to UV light to complete polymerization, then, a heat treatment has been performed to obtain the final ceramic material. Subsequently, XRD analysis has been performed to determine scaffold’s composition. Moreover, other analysis have been executed, such as mechanical tests, porosity and morphology survey.