Modeling and Mechanical Performance Analysis of Porous Gradient Bone Scaffolds

Abstract

Currently, personalized adaptive technology using 3D printing scaffold is widely employed in bone tissue repair engineering to aid in healing and restoring large segmental bone defects. Although the scaffold matches the external appearance, its internal tissue structure differs significantly from that of natural bone tissue, and issues of mechanical matching and stress shielding persist after transplantation, impacting patient recovery. Drawing on the tissue structure of natural bone, this study develops a bionic bone scaffold model that replicates the microstructure of natural bone using a noise topology approach. Model samples are created with pore sizes and porosity corresponding to the bone density of various ages. The mechanical properties of bone structures with varying pore sizes and porosities are assessed using finite element simulation analysis software. Mechanical simulation results for bionic bone scaffolds across different ages indicate that the modeling method can adjust the pore size and porosity of the bionic bone structure through voxel parameters, aligning the mechanical characteristics with those of natural bone. This alignment effectively mitigates the stress mismatch between the implant structure and natural tissue post-bone grafting. The hierarchical gradient porous structure and mechanical model of bionic bone scaffold offer valuable insights for the structural design and clinical selection of bone implants.