Upconversion 3D Printed Composite with Multifunctional Applications for Tissue Engineering and Photodynamic Therapy

Upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) are suitable materials for bioapplications due to their ability to emit visible light under near infrared (NIR) excitation, in the biological transparency range. Polycaprolactone(PCL)-based scaffolds are widely used in tissue engineering in combination with inorganic compounds to improve bioactivity and osteoconductive properties. This work proposes a 3D printed composite scaffold with upconversion property aiming at biomedical applications in therapy-stimulated bone repair and photodynamic therapy (PDT). The system combines PCL polymer, UCNPs-apatite and a P...