Reinforcing β-tricalcium phosphate scaffolds for potential applications in bone tissue engineering: impact of functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes

Beta-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) scaffolds manufactured through the foam replication method are widely employed in bone tissue regeneration. The mechanical strength of these scaffolds is a significant challenge, partly due to the rheological properties of the original suspension. Various strategies have been explored to enhance the mechanical properties. In this research, β-TCP scaffolds containing varying concentrations (0.25–1.00 wt%) of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) were developed. The findings indicate that the addition of MWCNTs led to a concentration-dependent improvement in the viscosity of β-TCP suspensions. All the prepared slurries exhibited viscoelastic behavior, with the storage modulus surpassing the loss modulus. The three time interval tests revealed that MWCNT-incorporated β-TCP suspensions exhibited faster structural recovery compared to pure β-TCP slurries. Introducing MWCNT modified compressive strength, and the optimal improvement was obtained using 0.75 wt% MWCNT. The in vitro degradation of β-TCP was also reduced by incorporating MWCNT. While the inclusion of carbon nanotubes had a marginal negative impact on the viability and attachment of MC3T3-E1 cells, the number of viable cells remained above 70% of the control group. Additionally, the results demonstrated that the scaffold increased the expression level of osteocalcin, osteoponthin, and alkaline phosphatase genes of adiposed-derived stem cells; however, higher levels of gene expersion were obtained by using MWCNT. The suitability of MWCNT-modified β-TCP suspensions for the foam replication method can be assessed by evaluating their rheological behavior, aiding in determining the critical additive concentration necessary for a successful coating process.