Abstract
The risk of infection in bones after surgical procedures can be reduced by using antibacterial scaffolds. This study was aimed at preparing a silver nanorods (Ag-nr) incorporated wollastonite (CaSiO3) scaffold using the polymeric sponge replica method. The powdered Ag-nr sample shows an ultrafine microstructure with a minimum rod diameter of 20.8 nm. The Ag nanorods were fabricated by a reflux method and the sol-gel derived Ag-incorporated-CaSiO3 samples (Ag-CaSiO3) were characterized through FTIR, XRD, TEM, SEM, and BET analytical techniques. The electron microscopic results of the scaffold revealed a well-defined porous construction with pore sizes varying from 103 to 164 μm which are suitable for cell infiltration. The Ag-CaSiO3 scaffold showed a brittle behavior with compressive strength of 11.7 MPa. The in-vitro degradation and mineralization behavior of the Ag-CaSiO3 scaffold was investigated using SBF. The Ag-CaSiO3 samples present sound antibacterial effects against Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Salmonella typhi without negotiating the formation of apatite layer in simulated body fluid (SBF). The in-vitro cell viability and attachment studies with MG-63 cells using Alamar blue assay confirmed the cytocompatible nature of Ag-CaSiO3. The rationally designed Ag-CaSiO3 sample can generate a healthier substitute for bone tissue engineering compared to other similar materials.
Highlights
Hard tissues in a human body have limited self-healing abilities, and any crushed part of such tissues is usually treated by surgical intervention [1,2]
The demand for hard tissue engineering has been rising with an alternative being a scaffold or implant-based treatment [4,5]
The current research work confirmed the successful synthesis of silver nanorods and the Ag-CaSiO3 scaffold using the sponge replica method which is a cost effective method
Summary
Hard tissues in a human body have limited self-healing abilities, and any crushed part of such tissues is usually treated by surgical intervention [1,2]. The materials used to produce an ideal scaffold must tightly bond with bone tissues, promote new bone growth, and may have to bear higher mechanical loads Bioceramic materials such as tricalcium phosphate [9], hydroxyapatite (H.A.), and bioglass (B.G.) are commonly used for bone regeneration [10,11]. Many researchers have used silver in scaffolds such as mesoporous bioactive glass loaded with insitu grown silver [20], Ag-doped CaSiO3 with glycine as fuel [21], GO-Ag nanosystem [22], and Agdecorated barium titanate [23] for biomedical applications They are expensive procedure and pose problems in terms of antimicrobial performances. It is highly desirable to develop a functional 3D scaffold with antibacterial properties that have the potential to control infection and inflammation rates during bone regeneration
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary 
Published Version (
Free)
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call