PLA scaffolds production from Thermally Induced Phase Separation: Effect of process parameters and development of an environmentally improved route assisted by supercritical carbon dioxide

ABSTRACT

In this work, a relatively large scale of PLA scaffolds was produced using thermally induced phase separation (TIPS) combined with a supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO₂) drying step as a green alternative. For the TIPS step, the phase separation of PLA and 1,4-dioxane solvent was controlled by adjusting the process conditions such as the polymer concentration and molecular weight, the 1,4-dioxane solvent power and the cooling conditions. The scaffolds morphology was analyzed by scanning electron microscopy. Their structural and mechanical properties were correlated together with the possibility to tune them by controlling the process conditions. An environmental analysis using the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology confirmed a reduction of at least 50% of the environmental impact of the whole process using the SC-CO₂ drying compared to the traditional freeze-drying technology. This work is the first known attempt to conduct the LCA methodology on TIPS process for the PLA scaffolds production.