Abstract

Hydroxyapatite (HA) is commonly used as a scaffold material for bone substitutes. It can be synthesized from type II dental gypsum to produce Dental Gypsum-Hydroxyapatite II (DGHA II) through a hydrothermal process. DGHA II can be combined with gelatin (GEL) to create a porous HA scaffold with suitable mechanical properties, as both materials are expected to mimic the structure and function of natural bone. This study prepared porous scaffolds by mixing varying amounts of DGHA II with GEL solution in ratios of 2:3, 3:3, and 4:3, followed by processing in a freeze dryer. The characteristics of the scaffolds, including morphology, porosity, and mechanical properties, were analyzed. Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) micrographs revealed that the morphology in all groups exhibited irregular pore edges, a connected pore structure, and a non-homogeneous pore size distribution. The DGHA II-GEL (2:3) scaffolds displayed the largest pore diameter (146.23 – 515.44 μm), pore area (5112.53 μm²), and porosity (90.44% ± 1.65) compared to the other compositions. Reversely, the DGHA II-GEL (4:3) scaffolds exhibited the highest compressive strength (2.48 MPa) with an elastic modulus of 5377.82 MPa.