Preparation and characterization of 3D porous ceramic scaffolds based on portland cement for bone tissue engineering.

There is a constant need for bone substitutes. This work was focused on developing a porous substrate based on Portland cement with air-voids introduced by outgassing reaction product from lime and aluminum powder. The structures were obtained through two routes of raw-materials and processing. Water absorption and compressive strength measurements and scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and Fourier Transformed Infrared Spectroscopy assays were conducted in order to characterize the porous substrates. The substrates have shown pore size structure compatible with bone tissue colonization. Also, the mechanical strength exhibited by the scaffolds fall in the normal ranges for trabecular bone. These characteristics indicate potential use of the developed porous scaffold for bone tissue engineering which was endorsed by in vitro experiments via cell culture.