Chitosan fibers modified with HAp/β-TCP nanoparticles

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Materials Engineering
• Polymer Chemistry

Background:

• Chitosan is a versatile biopolymer with applications in tissue engineering and drug delivery.
• Enhancing chitosan's mechanical properties and bioactivity is crucial for advanced applications.
• Hydroxyapatite (HAp) and tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) are key biominerals for bone regeneration.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a method for preparing chitosan fibers modified with HAp and β-TCP nanoparticles.
• To investigate the properties of these novel composite fibers.
• To assess the potential of these fibers as advanced biomaterials.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing fiber-grade chitosan from Pandalus borealis.
• Incorporating HAp and β-TCP nanoparticles into a chitosan solution.
• Preparing spinning solutions and characterizing the resulting chitosan fibers.

Main Results:

• Chitosan fibers modified with HAp/β-TCP nanoparticles were successfully prepared.
• The modified fibers demonstrated a significant increase in tenacity.
• A hundredfold increase in calcium content was observed in the modified fibers compared to regular chitosan fibers.

Conclusions:

• The developed method effectively produces chitosan fibers with enhanced mechanical properties and mineral content.
• These HAp/β-TCP modified chitosan fibers show promise for applications in bone tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.
• Further research can explore the biocompatibility and in vivo performance of these advanced biomaterials.