A Biomimetic Structural Material with Adjustable Mechanical Property for Bone Tissue Engineering

The development of cellular materials with adjustable mechanical properties, total porosity (Tp), and elastic modulus (E) similar to those of natural bone are eternal pursuits in the field of bone implants. Designing and manufacturing an implant that fulfills all these requirements is a challenging task. In this study, inspired by the trabecular structure of natural bone and developed a biomimetic structural material. Laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF) is utilized to create the biomimetic structural material. Comprehensive valuations of both the natural trabecular bone and biomimetic structural material are conducted using micro-CT scanning, nanoindentation testing, finite element (FE) analysis, and compression testing. The results demonstrate that the mechanical properties of the developed biomimetic structural material have excellent controllability. The rod-plate-like trabecular (RPT) biomimetic structural material exhibited significantly superior mechanical load-bearing performance compared to the natural bone trabeculae while maintaining the natural bone's Tp (83.1%) and E (798.1 MPa). The biomimetic structural material effectively balances the combination of strength and E, providing a design template for the next generation of medical implants. It has great potential as a bone repair material for clinical applications, and its adjustable mechanical properties also make it highly promising in the field of tissue engineering. A biomimetic structural material is presented with adjustable mechanical property fabricated via laser powder bed fusion based on the structure of bone trabeculae. By optimizing the bionic structure parameters, a scaffold is achieved that exhibits excellent mechanical properties, suitable elastic modulus, and enhances bone reconstruction. The biomimetic structural material demonstrated reliability for the treatment of bone defects, making it a promising material for bone tissue engineering.image