Synthesis and Characterization of Hydroxyapatite/Bioactive Glass Nanocomposite Foam and Fluorapatite/Bioactive Glass Nanocomposite Foam by Gel Casting Method as Cell Scaffold for Bone Tissue

[摘要] The aim of this study was to synthesize and characterization of hydroxyapatite/bioactive glass (HA/BG) nanocomposite foam and fluorapatite/bioactive glass (FA/BG) nanocomposite foam by gel casting method as cell scaffold for bone tissue engineering and evaluating their bioactivity using in vitro methods. Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Archimedes method and universal testing machine were used in order to evaluate specific surface area, phase composition, shape, size and interconnectivity of pores, size and shape of the constructed foam particles, porosity measurement and compressive strength of prepared nanocomposite foams, respectively. Mean particle size of HA/BG and FA/BG nanocomposite foams were 78 and 42 nm respectively with average pore size ranges was from 100 to 400 µm for two compositions. The maximum values of compressive strength and elastic modulus of nanocomposite foams were 0.22 and 17.8 Mpa for HA/BG and 0.13 and 22 MPa for FA/BG, respectively. The mean values of the apparent and true porosity were calculated 31 and 78% for HA/BG and 42 and 77% for FA/BG, respectively. The results of in vitro immersion of foams in simulated body fluid (SBF) demonstrate the formation of apatite on the surface of foams that indicating their bioactivity. The prepared nanocomposite foams in this research are appropriate substitutes for the bone defects in tissue engineering due to their characteristics. Moreover, using gel casting method to introduce these bioceramics provides the possibility to construct foams by molding or 3D printing in a desired shapes in accordance to patient’s needs with high dimensional accuracy.

[学科分类] 分析化学

[关键词] nanocomposite foams;tissue engineering;cell scaffold;gel casting method;biomedical applications