Graphene Oxide Influences on Mechanical Properties and Drug Release Ability of Hydroxyapatite Based Composite Material

Abstract

Bioactive composite material based on hydroxyapatite (HA), sodium alginate (Alg) with different content of graphene oxide (GO) was synthesized by the “wet chemistry” method and characterized by TEM, XRD, FTIR, HPLC analysis. Introduced the GO nanoparticles, as well as Ca2+ ions, as cross-linker of Alg macromolecules by the beads formation, lead to enhancement of the composites mechanical properties. HA–Alg–GO10 sample with GO content of 0.004% in relation to the HA powder has a much higher Young’s modulus (1325 MPa) in comparison with GO-free HA–Alg composite (793 MPa), as well as steel sample of the same size (~706 MPa). The addition of GO reduces the degree of the composites swelling in a phosphate buffered saline for 43% and enhances the beads shape stability. Chlorhexidine bigluconate release from GO containing samples lasts for 48 h longer according to HPLC study. The findings clear demonstrate the potential possibility of applications of the HA–Alg–GO composite material in bioengineering of bone tissue to fill bone defects of various geometries with the function of prolonged release of the drug. It is assumed that HA–Alg–GO composite material can be used in 3D modeling of areas of bone tissue that have to bear a mechanical load.