In this thesis, micro computed tomography (μ−CT) scans of a bio-glass scaffold produced by the robocasting technique was used to create finite element method (FEM) models with the purpose of determining its mechanical strength. Prior to this, a Matlab script was used to create several simplified geometries of the scaffold in an effort to determine the importance of scaffold design parameters (such as the fiber compenetration between two adjacent printing planes) on the strength of the scaffold. Furthermore, to assess the influence of micro-structural defects such as voids and micro-cracks that are intrinsic to the robocasting manufacturing process, the total number of voids and their respective volume was calculated using the μ-CT scan imagery and fitted to a statistical distribution. The distribution of voids was then used to create several scaffold models in Matlab with either spherical or ellipsoidal voids present. In the final two models, one scaled-down and one scaled-up FEM based on μ-CT scans were investigated.To model the crack initiation, propagation and final failure, the phase-field method was used. The method was implemented by the use of a publicly available Fortran user subroutine and was edited to account for asymmetric tension/compression energy degradation. The resulting strength of the produced models have been presented as non-dimensional values. The finite element analysis (FEA) of the Matlab produced scaffolds showed that the fiber shifting between two adjacent layers, porosity, and voids of ellipsoidal shape that were perpendicular to the loading direction had the highest effect on the strength of the scaffold. The resulting normalized strength values obtained from the μ-CT models was partially validated through a comparison with the literature available.The different failure modes and overall architectural arrangement of cracks also showed promising results. / I den här uppsatsen så användes mikrotomografi (μ-CT) skanning av en bio-glas stödstruktur tillverkad av robocasting tekniken för att skapa finita element modeller med syftet att bestämma dess mekaniska styrka. Innan detta så användes ett Matlab-skript för att skapa flera förenklade geometrier av stödstrukturen i ett försök att fastställa betydelsen av viktiga designparametrar (som t.ex fiberpenetrering mellan två intilliggande plan) på stödstrukturens styrka. Vidare, för att bedöma påverkan av mikrostrukturella defekter som tomrum och mikrosprickor som är naturligt förekommande i robocasting-tillverkningsprocessen så uppmättes det totala antal hålrum och deras respektive volym med hjälp av μ-CT-skannade bilder. Denna data blev anpassad till en statistisk fördelning. Fördelningen av tomrum och mikcrosprickor användes sedan för att skapa flera modeller av stödstrukturerna i Matlab med antingen sfäriska eller ellipsoida hålrum närvarande. I de sista två modellerna undersöktes en en nedskalad och en uppskalad finita elementmodell baserad på μ-CT-skanning.För att modellera sprickinitiering, sprickpropagering och slutligen brott användes fasfältsmetoden. Fasfältsmetoden implementerades med hjälp av en för allmänheten tillgänglig Fortran användarrutin som redigerades för att ta hänsyn till en asymmetrisk energidegradering i drag-och tryck. Den resulterande styrkan hos alla modeller har presenterats som icke-dimensionella värden. Finita elementanalysen av Matlab modellerna visade att fiberskiftningen mellan två intilliggande plan, porositet och hålrum med ellipsoid form som var vinkelräta mot belastningsriktningen hade störst effekt på stödstrukturens styrka. De resulterande normaliserade styrkevärdena erhållna från μ-CTmodeller validerades delvis genom en jämförelse med tillgänglig litteratur. Dom olika felmoderna och övergripande strukturella fördelningen av sprickor visade också lovande resultat.

Escafoldes em alumina foram fabricados e em suas superfícies impregnou-se biovidro e hidroxiapatita; realizou-se análise das propriedades mecânica e de interação célula-escafolde in vitro. Estruturas porosas denominadas escafoldes são utilizadas como suportes para crescimento de tecidos, devem apresentar poros abertos interconectados, com morfologia, distribuição e quantidade de poros que confiram resistência mecânica e induzam o crescimento ósseo. Os escafoldes simulam a matriz extracelular e são a chave para a engenharia de tecidos que está conceituada na cultura prévia de células com proteínas morfogenéticas, oferecendo suporte para o crescimento celular na formação do tecido maduro. Neste trabalho desenvolveu-se técnica de manufatura onde foram conformados escafoldes como corpos-de-prova em alumina, em hidroxiapatita e em alumina infiltrada com biovidro e hidroxiapatita. Os escafoldes foram submetidos a ensaios mecânicos de compressão e sofreram análise de interação com células in vitro. A morfologia e a concentração da porosidade dos escafoldes foram analisadas por microscopia de varredura eletrônica e apresentaram porosidade volumétrica de aproximadamente 70% e diâmetro médio de poros em torno de 190 µm. Observou-se interação das células mais vigorosas e com pronunciada mitose nos escafoldes infiltrados relativamente aos escafoldes de alumina e hidroxiapatita. Os resultados indicaram resistência mecânica para os corpos infiltrados de 43,27 MPa, valor inferior ao observado nos escafolde de alumina 52,27 MPa e muito superior aos de hidroxiapatita 0,28 MPa. Conclui-se que os escafoldes de alumina infiltrados com biovidro e hidroxiapatita apresentaram uma combinação promissora nas características mecânicas e biológicas in vitro com viabilidade econômica. / Alumina scaffolds were manufactured and surface impregnated with bio-glass and hydroxyapatite; the mechanical properties and the in vitro bone-cell and scaffold interaction were analyzed. Porous matrices are usually denominated as scaffolds in tissue engineering and they are used as supports for the tissue growing; they may have open and interconnected pores, with known porous geometry and distribution and with good mechanical strength and be able to induce the tissue cells growing. Scaffolds can work as extra cell matrices, mimic the desired tissue and are considered as the key for the tissue engineering, offering support for the cellular growing in the formation of mature tissue. In this work, manufacture techniques were developed where scaffolds were conformed in alumina, in hydroxyapatite and in alumina infiltrated with bio-glass and hydroxyapatite, as test bodies. The scaffolds were submitted to mechanical compression tests and to the interaction with bone cells in vitro. The morphology and the concentration of the scaffold porosity were analyzed by scanning electronic microscopy (SEM) and they presented porosity concentration near 70,0 vol% and medium diameter of pores around 190,0 µm. The cells interaction strongest and more vigorous bone cell interaction with pronounced mitosis was observed in the alumina scaffolds infiltrated with bio-glass and hydroxyapatite when compared with the alumina scaffolds and hydroxyapatite scaffolds. The results obtained shown lower values of the mechanical strength for the infiltrated scaffolds (43,27 MPa), higher values for non infiltrated alumina scaffold (52,27 MPa) and very low values for the hydroxyapatite scaffolds (0,28 MPa). As observed, final results shown that alumina scaffolds infiltrated with bio-glass and hydroxyapatite presented a promising combination in the mechanical and biological in vitro characteristics with economic viability.

Escafoldes em alumina foram fabricados e em suas superfícies impregnou-se biovidro e hidroxiapatita; realizou-se análise das propriedades mecânica e de interação célula-escafolde in vitro. Estruturas porosas denominadas escafoldes são utilizadas como suportes para crescimento de tecidos, devem apresentar poros abertos interconectados, com morfologia, distribuição e quantidade de poros que confiram resistência mecânica e induzam o crescimento ósseo. Os escafoldes simulam a matriz extracelular e são a chave para a engenharia de tecidos que está conceituada na cultura prévia de células com proteínas morfogenéticas, oferecendo suporte para o crescimento celular na formação do tecido maduro. Neste trabalho desenvolveu-se técnica de manufatura onde foram conformados escafoldes como corpos-de-prova em alumina, em hidroxiapatita e em alumina infiltrada com biovidro e hidroxiapatita. Os escafoldes foram submetidos a ensaios mecânicos de compressão e sofreram análise de interação com células in vitro. A morfologia e a concentração da porosidade dos escafoldes foram analisadas por microscopia de varredura eletrônica e apresentaram porosidade volumétrica de aproximadamente 70% e diâmetro médio de poros em torno de 190 µm. Observou-se interação das células mais vigorosas e com pronunciada mitose nos escafoldes infiltrados relativamente aos escafoldes de alumina e hidroxiapatita. Os resultados indicaram resistência mecânica para os corpos infiltrados de 43,27 MPa, valor inferior ao observado nos escafolde de alumina 52,27 MPa e muito superior aos de hidroxiapatita 0,28 MPa. Conclui-se que os escafoldes de alumina infiltrados com biovidro e hidroxiapatita apresentaram uma combinação promissora nas características mecânicas e biológicas in vitro com viabilidade econômica. / Alumina scaffolds were manufactured and surface impregnated with bio-glass and hydroxyapatite; the mechanical properties and the in vitro bone-cell and scaffold interaction were analyzed. Porous matrices are usually denominated as scaffolds in tissue engineering and they are used as supports for the tissue growing; they may have open and interconnected pores, with known porous geometry and distribution and with good mechanical strength and be able to induce the tissue cells growing. Scaffolds can work as extra cell matrices, mimic the desired tissue and are considered as the key for the tissue engineering, offering support for the cellular growing in the formation of mature tissue. In this work, manufacture techniques were developed where scaffolds were conformed in alumina, in hydroxyapatite and in alumina infiltrated with bio-glass and hydroxyapatite, as test bodies. The scaffolds were submitted to mechanical compression tests and to the interaction with bone cells in vitro. The morphology and the concentration of the scaffold porosity were analyzed by scanning electronic microscopy (SEM) and they presented porosity concentration near 70,0 vol% and medium diameter of pores around 190,0 µm. The cells interaction strongest and more vigorous bone cell interaction with pronounced mitosis was observed in the alumina scaffolds infiltrated with bio-glass and hydroxyapatite when compared with the alumina scaffolds and hydroxyapatite scaffolds. The results obtained shown lower values of the mechanical strength for the infiltrated scaffolds (43,27 MPa), higher values for non infiltrated alumina scaffold (52,27 MPa) and very low values for the hydroxyapatite scaffolds (0,28 MPa). As observed, final results shown that alumina scaffolds infiltrated with bio-glass and hydroxyapatite presented a promising combination in the mechanical and biological in vitro characteristics with economic viability.