Effect of ball milling process on the microstructure of titanium-nanohydroxyapatite composite powder

Titaninm-nanohydroxyapatite （Ti-nHA） composite powders, composed of titanium with 10 vol.% and 20 vol.% of nano-hydroxyapatite, were milled in a planetary ball mill using alcohol media to avoid excessive heat. XRD and SEM were performed for characterization of the microstructure, and the homogeneity of Ti/HA nanocomposite powder was evaluated by EPMA with prolonged ball milling time. The results show that under the condition of wet milling, the grain size of Ti-nHA composite powders is decreased with the increase in ball milling time and the amount of the addition of nHA. While for milling of 30 h, the nanocomposite powder with free structure, which consists of the nano-hydroxyapatite （nHA） particles and titanium （Ti） phase, is obtained. Three stages of milling can be observed from the dement mapping of Ti, Ca, and P by EPMA; meanwhile, it is found that the nHA would be more homogenously distributed after milling for 30 h.     

Biopolymeric coatings for delivery of antibiotic and controlled degradation of bioresorbable Mg AZ31 alloys

Magnesium and magnesium alloys are attracting considerable interest as biodegradable materials with high potential for application as temporary implants. The high corrosion rate of Mg-based implants is considered a serious drawback, and it is crucial to design novel surface protection strategies that minimize the detrimental effects of corrosion, while contributing for introducing additional functionalities on the material surface. In this work, a layer-by-layer coating architecture composed of an inner poly(lactic-co-glycolic) acid layer, working as adhesion promoter, and additional polycaprolactone (PCL) layers working as reservoirs for antibiotic (levofloxacin) and for nanohydroxyapatite (nanoHA) particles was applied on the Mg alloy AZ31. The results demonstrate that the composition and number of PCL layers can tailor the biodegradation of the bare magnesium alloy, surface wettability, and the kinetics of release of antibiotic (levofloxacin). The distribution of nanoHA in the coating architecture plays a crucial role on tailoring the desired biocompatible functionalities and corrosion protection of the bare alloy.     

Modification of glass ionomer cement by incorporating hydroxyapatite-silica nano-powder composite: Sol–gel synthesis and characterization

A nanohydroxyapatite–silica powder was synthesized using an ethanol based sol–gel technique. The synthesized powder was incorporated into commercial glass ionomer powder (Fuji II GC) and characterized using FTIR, ²⁹Si CP/MAS NMR, EDX and XRD spectroscopy. ²⁹Si CP/MAS NMR results showed the presence of higher degree of cross-linking of silyl species between silica and GIC, which makes the Nano-HA–Silica–GIC composite much stronger. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (TEM) was employed to investigate the morphology of the synthesized powder. Results revealed that higher content of nanosilica produced a denser and stronger GIC. Thus, the application of nanohydroxyapatite–silica–GIC with improved properties are envisioned to be of great clinical importance, especially in stress bearing areas.     

Hemocompatibility,cytotoxicity, and genotoxicity of poly(methylmethacrylate)/nanohydroxyapatite nanocomposites synthesized by melt blending method

The aim of this study was to show the hemocompatibility, cytotoxicity, and genotoxicity of nanocomposites that were synthesized with different molecular weights of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and different concentrations of nanohydroxyapatite (nHAp). Different techniques to characterize the nanocomposites were used. The cytotoxicity and genotoxic effects of the polymers and nanocomposites on human lymphocytes were determined by acid phosphatase assay, viability test, and comet assay. Moreover, hemocompatibility test was performed. It was found that all of the PMMA/nHAp nanocomposites are highly hemocompatible and biocompatible, none of the nanocomposites showed a cytotoxic effect, and nHAp addition decreased the genotoxicity.     

纳米HAP粒子在水介质中的分散稳定性研究

在水分散体系中采用化学沉淀法制备纳米羟基磷灰石（Hydroxyapatite，HAP）粒子，研究了分散介质pH值、稳定剂或表面改性剂及其分子量等因素对纳米粒子粒径及分散稳定性的影响，重点讨论了阴离子表面活性剂PAA-Na（聚丙烯酸纳）对纳米HAP溶胶分散稳定性的影响。同时对纳米HAP溶胶分散稳定性机理在理论上作了探讨。     

Bone Plate Composed of a Ternary Nanohydroxyapatite/Polyamide 66/Glass Fiber Composite: Biocompatibility In Vivo and Internal Fixation for Canine Femur Fractures

Bone plates have been applied to fix fractures for over a hundred years. Metal plates are the gold standard. However, an increasing number of clinical practices and animal experiments have shown that metal plates have had incidents of failure due to their rigid fixation and long‐term complications. Degradable composites present the advantages of a lower elastic modulus and absorbable properties but are unsuitable for load‐bearing applications. Nondegradable bone plates composed of a nanohydroxyapatite/polyamide 66/glass fiber (n‐HA/PA66/GF) composite are prepared, which have enough strength and a low elastic modulus for an internal fixation device. To better assess its function as a bone plate, animal experiments are conducted using a canine load‐bearing femur fracture model. The results show that the n‐HA/PA66/GF plate can fix fractures effectively. Gross observation, radiographic films, and histological analysis all show that the n‐HA/PA66/GF plate leads to a secondary (indirect) union with obvious callus formation, whereas the titanium plate leads to primary (direct) union due to rigid fixation. Furthermore, the histological results reveal that new bone grows at the interface and that the n‐HA/PA66/GF plate can integrate with native bone tissue. Consequently, the n‐HA/PA66/GF composite shows good potential as a bone plate to fix loading‐bearing bone fractures.     

Injectable Bone Cement Reinforced with Gold Nanodots Decorated rGO-Hydroxyapatite Nanocomposites,Augment Bone Regeneration

Interest in the development of new generation injectable bone cements having appropriate mechanical properties, biodegradability, and bioactivity has been rekindled with the advent of nanoscience. Injectable bone cements made with calcium sulfate (CS) are of significant interest, owing to its compatibility and optimal self-setting property. Its rapid resorption rate, lack of bioactivity, and poor mechanical strength serve as a deterrent for its wide application. Herein, a significantly improved CS-based injectable bone cement (modified calcium sulfate termed as CS_mod), reinforced with various concentrations (0–15%) of a conductive nanocomposite containing gold nanodots and nanohydroxyapatite decorated reduced graphene oxide (rGO) sheets (AuHp@rGO), and functionalized with vancomycin, is presented. The piezo-responsive cement exhibits favorable injectability and setting times, along with improved mechanical properties. The antimicrobial, osteoinductive, and osteoconductive properties of the CS_mod cement are confirmed using appropriate in vitro studies. There is an upregulation of the paracrine signaling mediated crosstalk between mesenchymal stem cells and human umbilical vein endothelial cells seeded on these cements. The ability of CS_mod to induce endothelial cell recruitment and augment bone regeneration is evidenced in relevant rat models. The results imply that the multipronged activity exhibited by the novel-CS_mod cement would be beneficial for bone repair.     

Nanohydroxyapatite-coated hydroxyethyl cellulose/poly (vinyl) alcohol electrospun scaffolds and their cellular response

The present study focused on the preparation of nanohydroxyapatite (nHA)-coated hydroxyethyl cellulose/polyvinyl alcohol (HEC/PVA) nanofibrous scaffolds for bone tissue engineering application. The electrospun HEC/PVA scaffolds were mineralized via alternate soaking process. FESEM revealed that the nHA was formed uniformly over the nanofibers. The nHA mineralization enhanced the tensile strength and reduced the elongation at breakage of scaffolds. The wettability of the nanofibrous scaffolds was significantly improved. The in vitro biocompatibility of scaffolds was evaluated with human osteosarcoma cells. nHA-coated scaffolds had a favorable effect on the proliferation and differentiation of osteosarcoma cell and could be a potential candidate for bone regeneration.     

Nanoengineered biocomposite tricomponent polymer based matrices for bone tissue engineering

Nanoengineered biodegradable constructs based on synthetic and natural polymers enriched with hydroxyapatite (HA) nanoparticles have been found to mimic the extracellular matrix of bone tissue. The main objective of this study was to create biocomposite nanostructured scaffolds by incorporating collagen and HA nanoparticles into poly(L-lactic acid)-co-poly(?-caprolactone) by electrospinning. The fiber diameter of the composite PLCL/Col and PLCL/Col/HA fibers was smaller compared to PLCL. In vitro biocompatibility of the scaffolds studied using human fetal osteoblasts and EDX analysis showed high deposition of calcium on PLCL/Col/HA. The results shows that PLCL/Col/HA nanofibrous constructs have huge potential as substrates for bone regeneration.     

Fabrication of poly (vinyl alcohol)/ovalbumin/cellulose nanocrystals/nanohydroxyapatite based biocomposite scaffolds

Biocomposite scaffolds composed of PVA, ovalbumin, cellulose nanocrystals, and nanohydroxyapatite were fabricated by freeze-drying method. The results revealed that the different fractions of nanohydroxyapatite and cellulose nanocrystals provide the mechanical strength and stiffness to the desired biocomposite scaffolds. In vitro biomineralization showed the formation of apatite onto the surface of obtained biocomposite scaffolds and increased as amount of nanohydroxyapatite increased. The obtained results suggest that the different combinations of these four biomaterials can be used to fabricate highly porous scaffolds with desired mechanical performance and degradation rate by adjusting ratio for potential use in low load-bearing applications.