Unidirectionally oriented hydroxyapatite/collagen composite fabricated by using a high magnetic field

A unidirectionally oriented hydroxyapatite (HAp)/collagen composite was prepared by using a high magnetic field. In the present study, a calcium-containing collagen solution was mixed with a phosphate-containing solution and kept at a temperature of 37 °C. During this process, the heat-induced self-assembling of collagen molecules and precipitation of HAp crystals took place simultaneously. Both collagen fibrils and HAp crystals have magnetic susceptibility anisotropy, which makes it possible for them to be oriented by using a high magnetic field. In order to prepare a unidirectionally oriented structure, samples were rotated when the high magnetic field was imposed perpendicularly to the rotation axis. The results indicated that collagen fibrils have been unidirectionally oriented with weakly crystallized HAp nanocrystals closely attached along the surfaces of the collagen fibrils. A biocomposite with similar structural and composition to natural bones has been prepared.