Osteoconductive Nanocomposite Materials for Bone Regeneration

Abstract

Bone defect is one of the most important problem in orthopaedic therapy in which application of a biomaterial filling is necessary. Such material should be biocompatible, osteoconductive and porous as well as bioactive and compatible with the bone tissue. Subject of the work was investigations on nanocomposite membrane materials which consisted on synthetic polymer – poly-e-caprolactone (PCL) matrix and ceramic nanoparticles; tricalcium phosphate (TCP) and silica (SiO2) as a nano-filler. The nanocomposite membrane materials were produced by two-step dispersion of the nanoparticles in the biopolymer matrix. Characteristic of nanoparticles were made using transmission electron microscope (TEM), distribution of nanoparticles size (DLS) and specific surface area (BET). The morphology of nanocomposites and homogenous distribution of nanoadditives were made using scanning electron microscope with EDS analysis. Introduction of the nanofillers into the polymer matrix was monitored by thermal analysis method (TG-DCS). It was shown that the TCP nanoparticles affected stronger pore size and distribution but also the polymer structure (crystallity, physicochemical properties of the surface). Treatment of the nanocomposite samples in the simulated body fluid (SBF) induced some changes on the surface of the material containing bioactive ceramic nanoparticles. The results of the tests with SBF showed that the material is able to produce apatite structure on its surface (EDS analysis)