Constructing a supercritical deposition-foaming unit for 3D supports (scaffold) fabrication: Experiment, mathematical modeling, and optimization

• Grant number: 18/18722-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Effective date (Start): March 01, 2019
• Effective date (End): July 31, 2022
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Chemical Engineering - Industrial Operations and Equipment for Chemical Engineering
• Principal Investigator: Lucia Helena Innocentini Mei
• Grantee: Tahmasb Hatami
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Engenharia Química (FEQ). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Scaffolds with 3D structures are abundantly used in perfusion bioreactors to the aim of stem cell expansion and differentiation to enhance patient life expectancy. As ready-made scaffolds commonly fabricate using solvent casting/particle leaching (SC/PL), phase separation, foaming, or electrospinning, some chemical solvents remain in their structure that may seriously affect patients healthy. Using supercritical CO2 instead of organic solvents can tackle this drawback for constructing healthy scaffolds from polymers such as polylactide (PLA) and poly (µ-caprolactone) (PCL), combined with ZnO. So, this study aimed to design, construct, and validate a supercritical deposition-foaming (SDF) unit, and investigated the effect of temperature, pressure, types of polymers and fillers, depressurization procedure, and for the first time the impact of number of pressurization-static time- depressurization cycles on the porosity, pore size distribution, and mechanical strength of composite scaffolds. In order to minimize the required number of experiments to fully evaluate the impacts of aforementioned factors, the unit, which contains both supercritical fluid deposition and foaming, will be modeled, for the first time, based on momentum, and mass balances equations together with population balance equation. The partial differential equations of the model will be solved numerically, the model results will be compared with the experimental data, and the best values of the independent variables will be determined using genetic algorithm optimization technique to optimize the process accordingly.

Scientific publications

(9)

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

CIDREIRA, ANNE CAROLYNE MENDONCA; DE CASTRO, KARINE CAPPUCCIO; HATAMI, TAHMASB; LINAN, LAMIA ZUNIGA; MEI, LUCIA HELENA INNOCENTINI. Cellulose nanocrystals-based materials as hemostatic agents for wound dressings: a review. BIOMEDICAL MICRODEVICES, v. 23, n. 4, DEC 2021. (18/18722-6)

HATAMI, TAHMASB; MENDONCA CIDREIRA, ANNE CAROLYNE; LINAN, LAMIA ZUNIGA; INNOCENTINI MEI, LUCIA HELENA. A Foam-Expansion and Wall-Evolution Model for Scaffold Fabrication using Supercritical CO2 Foaming. CHEMICAL ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY, v. N/A, p. 10-pg., 2022-05-26. (18/18722-6)

HATAMI, TAHMASB; FLORES JOHNER, JULIO CEZAR; DE CASTRO, KARINE CAPPUCCIO; INNOCENTINI MEI, LUCIA HELENA; ADEODATO VIEIRA, MELISSA GURGEL; MEIRELES, M. ANGELA A.. New Insight into a Step-by-Step Modeling of Supercritical CO2 Foaming to Fabricate Poly(epsilon-caprolactone) Scaffold. Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, v. 59, n. 45, p. 20033-20044, NOV 11 2020. (18/18722-6)

HATAMI, TAHMASB; DOS SANTOS, LUANA CRISTINA; ZABOT, GIOVANI LEONE; DE ALMEIDA PONTES, PAULA VIRGINIA; CALDAS BATISTA, EDUARDO AUGUSTO; INNOCENTINI MEI, LUCIA HELENA; MARTINEZ, JULIAN. Integrated supercritical extraction and supercritical adsorption processes from passion fruit by-product: experimental and economic analyses. JOURNAL OF SUPERCRITICAL FLUIDS, v. 162, AUG 1 2020. (17/11245-5, 18/18722-6)

HATAMI, TAHMASB; VIGANO, JULIANE; INNOCENTINI MEI, LUCIA HELENA; MARTINEZ, JULIAN. Production of alginate-based aerogel particles using supercritical drying: Experiment, comprehensive mathematical model, and optimization. JOURNAL OF SUPERCRITICAL FLUIDS, v. 160, JUN 1 2020. (18/18722-6, 17/23670-2, 11/06083-0)

CARVALHO, VICTOR SALDANHA; BAIAO DIAS, ARTHUR LUIZ; RODRIGUES, KARINA PANTOJA; HATAMI, TAHMASB; INNOCENTINI MEI, LUCIA HELENA; MARTINEZ, JULIAN; VIGANO, JULIANE. upercritical fluid adsorption of natural extracts: Technical, practical, and theoretical aspect. JOURNAL OF CO2 UTILIZATION, v. 56, FEB 2022. (20/15774-5, 18/18722-6, 17/23670-2)

DIAS, ARTHUR LUIZ BAIAO; HATAMI, TAHMASB; VIGANO, JULIANE; DE ARAUJO, ERICK JARLES SANTOS; MEI, LUCIA HELENA INNOCENTINI; REZENDE, CAMILA ALVES; MARTINEZ, JULIAN. Role of supercritical CO2 impregnation variables on ?-carotene loading into corn starch aerogel particles. JOURNAL OF CO2 UTILIZATION, v. 63, p. 11-pg., 2022-07-08. (20/15774-5, 18/23769-1, 18/18722-6)

HATAMI, TAHMASB; INNOCENTINI MEI, LUCIA HELENA; SHABANIAN, SEYED REZA. Modeling of Two-Step Supercritical CO2 Foaming to Fabricate Poly(epsilon-caprolactone) Scaffolds. CHEMICAL ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY, v. 44, n. 7, p. 1233-1240, JUL 2021. (18/18722-6)

HATAMI, TAHMASB; CIDREIRA, ANNE CAROLYNE MENDONCA; LINAN, LAMIA ZUNIGA; RODRIGUES, JORGE; PINHEIRO, IVANEI FERREIRA; VIGANO, JULIANE; CHINELATTO, MARCELO APARECIDO; JARDINI, ANDRE LUIZ; MARTINEZ, JULIAN; MEI, LUCIA HELENA INNOCENTINI. Valorization of Acai Bagasse into Cellulose Nanofibers/Sodium Alginate Aerogels. WASTE AND BIOMASS VALORIZATION, v. N/A, p. 17-pg., 2023-09-26. (18/18722-6, 21/01008-1)