Comparison between the Microstructure of the Mineral Phase in Two Types of Composite Beads for Bone Regeneration

Abstract

Apatite containing-polymer beads have been prepared using two methods. The first series of scaffolds is obtained using an effortless procedure consisting in mixing the mineral phase in the polymer precursors, followed by crosslinking. The resulting materials contained agglomerates of inorganic particles. The second series of materials is generated through a more complex synthesis involving the alternate Ca2+/PO43- soaking of the polymer beads. This leads to formation of nanometric apatite phase homogeneously distributed within and on the surface of the polymer substrates. The resulting materials have been characterized by infrared spectrometry, X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy.