Using TPMS scaffold architectures to modulate bone formation and degradation: a finite-element study

Official URL: https://dx.doi.org/10.1061/JENMDT.EMENG-8665

Scaffold architecture plays a pivotal role in regulating both bone regeneration and the degradation behavior of polymer-based implants. Triply periodic minimal surface (TPMS) structures, in particular, offer advantages such as high surface-to-volume ratios and excellent manufacturability, making them strong candidates for bone tissue engineering. This study presents a numerical investigation of how different scaffold architectures influence the coupled dynamics of bone formation and scaffold degradation. A finite-element model developed in ANSYS Mechanical APDL is used to evaluate strain energy density (SED) distributions, which guide bone adaptation in accordance with Frost's mechanostat theory. In parallel, a MATLAB-based model simulates bone formation alongside polymer degradation through bulk breakdown, surface erosion, and stochastic processes. By comparing multiple scaffold architectures, we assessed their effectiveness in supporting bone growth while preserving structural stability over time. Results showed that both gyroid and primitive TPMS outperform the cubic lattice microstructure at the same porosity values. The results underscore critical trade-offs between scaffold degradation and bone ingrowth, offering valuable guidance for optimizing scaffold designs in regenerative medicine applications.