Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 12, 2025
07:14
Synthesis of Graphene-Hydroxyapatite Nanocomposites for Potential Use in Bone Tissue Engineering
Published on: July 27, 2022
3.7K
Strontium-Substituted Nanohydroxyapatite-Incorporated Poly(lactic acid) Composites for Orthopedic Applications:
Shazia Shaikh1,2, Hossein Baniasadi3, Shreya Mehrotra1,2
1Department of Biological Sciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Kanpur 208016, UP, India.
Biomacromolecules
|October 24, 2023
Summary
This study developed biodegradable poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and strontium-substituted nanohydroxyapatite (SrHAP) composites for bone repair. The new PLA/SrHAP10 material shows improved mechanical strength, formability, and osteoconductive properties for orthopedic implants.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Materials Engineering
- Orthopedic Research
Background:
- Traditional metal-alloy bone fixation devices lack active bone healing promotion and require removal surgeries.
- Biodegradable polymers offer potential but often need enhanced mechanical and biological properties for orthopedic applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To fabricate and characterize novel biodegradable composites of poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and strontium-substituted nanohydroxyapatite (SrHAP).
- To evaluate the potential of these composites as machinable implant materials for orthopedic applications.
Main Methods:
- Melt compounding and injection molding were used to create PLA/SrHAP composites with varying SrHAP percentages (5-30% w/w).
- Comprehensive characterization included structural, morphological, thermal, mechanical, rheological, and dynamic mechanical analyses.
- In vitro cell-material tests were performed to assess biological behavior.
Main Results:
- The tensile modulus of PLA significantly increased with 10% SrHAP (PLA/SrHAP10), reaching 3.73 GPa.
- PLA/SrHAP10 composites demonstrated good formability, radiopacity, and improved surface wettability.
- In vitro studies confirmed the osteoconductive and osteoinductive properties of the developed composites.
Conclusions:
- Biodegradable PLA/SrHAP10 composites exhibit enhanced mechanical properties, processability, and biological activity.
- These findings suggest PLA/SrHAP10 composites are promising candidates for machinable orthopedic implant materials.
