Evaluation of cytocompatibility and bending modulus of nanoceramic/polymer composites

In an attempt to simulate the microstructure and mechanical properties of natural bone, novel nanoceramic/polymer composite formulations were fabricated and characterized with respect to their cytocompatibility and mechanical properties. The bending moduli of nanocomposite samples of either poly(L-lactic acid) (PLA) or poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) with 30, 40, and 50 wt % of nanophase (<100 nm) alumina, hydroxyapatite, or titania loadings were significantly (p < 0.05) greater than those of pertinent composite formulations with conventional, coarser grained ceramics. The nanocomposite bending moduli were 1-2 orders of magnitude larger than those of the homogeneous, respective polymer. For example, compared with 0.06 GPa for the 100% PLA, the bending modulus of 50/50 nanophase alumina/PLA composites was 3.5 GPa. Osteoblast adhesion on the surfaces of the nanophase alumina/PLA composites increased as a function of the nanophase ceramic content. Most importantly, osteoblast adhesion on the 50/50 nanophase alumina/PLA substrates was similar to that observed on the 100% nanophase ceramic substrates. Similar trends of osteoblast adhesion were observed on the surfaces of the nanophase titania/polymer and nanophase hydroxyapaptite/polymer composites that were tested. In contrast, fibroblast adhesion on the nanophase composites was either similar or lower than that observed on the conventional composites with either PLA or PMMA and minimum on all tested neat nanophase substrates. The calcium content in the extracellular matrix of cultured osteoblasts was also enhanced on the nanoceramic/PLA composite substrates tested as a function of the nanophase ceramic loading and duration of cell culture. The results of the present in vitro study provide evidence that nanoceramic/polymer composite formulations are promising alternatives to conventional materials because they can potentially be designed to match the chemical, structural, and mechanical properties of bone tissue in order to overcome the limitations of the biomaterials currently used as bone prostheses.