Modeling of Two-Step Supercritical CO2 Foaming to Fabricate Poly(epsilon-caprolactone) Scaffolds

Author(s)

Hatami, Tahmasb ^[1] ; Innocentini Mei, Lucia Helena ^[1] ; Shabanian, Seyed Reza ^[2]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Estadual Campinas, UNICAMP, Dept Mat Engn & Bioproc, Sch Chem Engn, Av Albert Einstein 500, BR-13083852 Campinas, SP - Brazil

^[2] Babol Noshirvani Univ Technol, Fac Chem Engn, Babol - Iran

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: CHEMICAL ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY; v. 44, n. 7, p. 1233-1240, JUL 2021.
• Web of Science Citations: 0

Abstract

A mathematical model was developed based on the Amon and Denson model for supercritical foaming (SCF) with a two-step depressurization rate. The model was provided according to the law of conservation of momentum, the law of conservation of mass, and a reformulation of the shell size for the second step of depressurization in comparison with the shell size for the first step of depressurization. The model was validated using the experimental data of SCF from polycaprolactone plus CO2 at 300 bar, 50 degrees C, a solubilization time of 2 h, a first depressurization rate of 28.6 bar min(-1), and a second depressurization rate of 200 bar min(-1). The comparison showed a significant improvement of the model accuracy for predicting the average pore radius of the scaffold compared to the original Amon and Denson model. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 18/18722-6 - Constructing a supercritical deposition-foaming unit for 3D supports (scaffold) fabrication: Experiment, mathematical modeling, and optimization
• Grantee: Tahmasb Hatami
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral