Zirconia Incorporation in 3D Printed β-Ca2SiO4 Scaffolds on Their Physicochemical and Biological Property

3D printed bioceramics derived from preceramic polymers are of great interest in bone tissue engineering due to their simplified fabrication processes. In this study, three-dimensional (3D) porous β-Ca₂SiO₄ scaffolds incorporated with ZrO₂ were fabricated from silicone resin loaded with active CaCO₃ and inert ZrO₂ fillers by 3D printing. The fabricated scaffolds possessed uniform interconnected macropores with a high porosity (> 67%). The results showed that the increase of ZrO₂ incorporation significantly enhanced the compressive strength, and stimulated cell proliferation and differentiation of osteoblasts. Importantly, the in vivo results indicated that the ZrO₂-incorporated β-Ca₂SiO₄ scaffolds improved osteogenic capacity compared to pure β-Ca₂SiO₄ scaffolds. Taken together, the ZrO₂-incorporated β-Ca₂SiO₄ scaffolds fabricated by combining polymer-derived strategy with 3D printing could be a promising candidate for bone tissue engineering.