Bone-inspired hydroxyapatite nanowire-based bioceramics with superior mechanical performance

Abstract

The fabrication of hydroxyapatite (HAP)-based bioceramics with similar mechanical performance to bone by traditional sintering process is still challenge. In bone tissues, HAP mineralized collagen fibrils and fiber-oriented microstructure play key roles in superior mechanical performance of bone. Inspired by the fiber-oriented microstructure and biomineralization process of bone, the mineralized HAP-based bioceramics (M-HAP) are successfully fabricated via directional assembly and biomimetic mineralization strategies based on ultralong HAP nanowires. The M-HAP bioceramics show comparable mechanical performance to human cortical bone in terms of flexural strength, tensile strength, Young's modulus and hardness, which could overcome the issue of mismatched mechanical properties between traditional HAP implants and host bone. In addition, the M-HAP bioceramics also exhibit good cytocompatibility in vitro and no obvious inflammatory response after implantation in vivo. Such bone-inspired bioceramics with both high mechanical property and good biocompatibility have great potential in the field of bone regeneration.