Effect of seed distribution characteristics on mechanical properties, degradation behavior, and osteogenic differentiation of additively manufactured Voronoi-based biomimetic scaffolds
The application of bionic porous structures based on Voronoi diagrams in bone defect repair has been extensively studied, with seed distribution characteristics recognized as key parameters affecting the performance of Voronoi scaffolds. In this study, a controllable parametric design method for Voronoi scaffolds was employed to experimentally and numerically investigate the effects of seed count and porosity on the mechanical properties, degradation behavior, mass transfer efficiency, and cell activity of laser powder bed fusion (LPBF)-printed degradable zinc-based Voronoi bone scaffolds. The results revealed the influence mechanisms of seed distribution characteristics on the mechanical properties and deformation modes of Voronoi scaffolds, achieving a 26.9% enhancement in failure stress. Moreover, by adjusting seed distribution, the degradation rate was precisely regulated within the range of 0.027-0.157 mm/year, enabling a 5.8-fold control over the release of zinc ion. Additionally, the effect of seed density on the osteogenic performance and gene expression of mouse pre-osteoblast cells were examined, demonstrating that higher seed densities predominantly upregulated COL1 and ALP expression to promote osteogenic differentiation. Increasing the seed count density elevated COL1 expression to 4.5 times that of the control group. These findings provide a theoretical basis for the clinical application and performance optimization of degradable zinc-based Voronoi bionic bone scaffolds.
