The effects of particle size of collagen and mold material on the pore structure of freeze-dried collagen-GAG scaffolds

Abstract

This study was performed to determine whether the particle size of the starting collagen powder or the material of molds used during freeze-drying had effects on the scaffold pore structure. Collagen particles were separated by size prior to slurry making using a sieve with 1000 [mu]m openings, and scaffolds were made using both metal pans and polysulfone trays, two commonly used molds. The mean and variation of pore diameter and interconnectivity of freeze-dried scaffolds were compared to determine the relationship between particle size or mold material and the resulting pore diameter, for a specific same freeze-drying condition (viz., temperature). Knowing these relationships will permit a better control of pore size during fabrication, allowing researchers to design scaffolds with greater predictability and specificity.