Applications of carbon nanomaterials in bone tissue engineering

In the biomedical field, remarkable advancements have been made in artificial biomaterials for treating bone loss or defects. A variety of synthetic polymers, natural polymers and bioceramics are being used to develop artificial bones. Many natural and synthetic biomaterials, which are being investigated for their physiochemical role in vivo, are currently in the clinical trial stage. Carbon-based prostheses are promising materials that mimic the natural function of bone, e.g., mechanical strength. Recently, carbon-based bone materials, such as carbon nanotubes and graphene, have been widely investigated as potential solutions to several biomedical problems. This review summarizes the biophysicochemical and biomedical properties of carbon nanomaterials composed of polymer and ceramic structures and discusses their functionality in bone tissue engineering.