Dispersion Of Hydroxyapatite Nanoparticles Research Articles

Dispersion of hydroxyapatite nanoparticles in natural rubber latex and poly lactic acid based matrices

AbstractHydroxyapatite (HAp)‐polymer composite materials are of interest for materials that interface with or substitute bone tissue. HAp nanoparticles (length 290 nm, width 56 nm) synthesized by a wet chemical method were incorporated (5 wt%) into natural rubber latex (NRL), poly lactic acid (PLA) and NRL/PLA (75/25) solvent cast films using three different methods: dry nanoparticles; a dispersion prepared from dry nanoparticles; a dispersion prepared through solvent exchange. Common to all composite materials were an improvement in the contact angle by 10%–13% and a reduction in the elongation at break from 430% to 330%–370%. Furthermore, the method of HAp incorporation influenced the properties of the material with the use of dioxane suspension improving the homogeneity of the films as evidenced from visual appearance and SEM. This led to slower water uptake and higher thermal stability with a shift in the PLA melting peak from 296°C to 334°C when compared to pure polymer and composites with poorly dispersed particle.

Synthesis and incorporation of rod-like nano-hydroxyapatite into type I collagen matrix: A hybrid formulation for 3D printing of bone scaffolds

Over the recent years, nanometric hydroxyapatite (HA) has gained interest as constituent of hybrid systems for bone scaffold fabrication, due to its biomimicry and biocompatibility. In this study, rod-like nano-HA particles were introduced in a type I collagen matrix to create a composite mimicking the bone composition. HA nano-rods (40−60 nm × 20 nm) were synthesised by hydrothermal method involving the use of an ammonium-based dispersing agent (Darvan 821-A) and fully characterised. The homogeneous dispersion of HA nanoparticles throughout the final hybrid formulation was achieved through their suspension in a collagen solution in presence of Darvan 821-A. The resulting homogeneous collagen/nano-HA suspension proved to be suitable for extrusion printing applications, showing shear thinning and sol-gel transition upon simil-physiological conditions. Furthermore, mesh-like structures were printed in a gelatine-supporting bath by means of a commercial bioprinter further demonstrating the potential of the designed hybrid system for the fabrication of 3D bone-like scaffolds.

Dispersion of hydroxyapatite nanoparticles in solution and in polycaprolactone composite scaffolds.

The dispersion behaviour of hydroxyapatite nanoparticles (HAP) and surface-modified HAP was studied in 1,4-dioxane (DO), water and poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) solutions and the relationship between these and the dispersion in composite PCL scaffolds prepared by thermally induced phase separation (TIPS) was examined. Investigation of the change in particle sizes by dynamic light scattering, showed that the modification of HAP by adsorption or covalent attachment of heparin via a 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) layer improved the dispersion stability of the particles in water/DO mixtures, while no improvement was observed in DO. The distribution of the particles within the composite scaffolds was determined using a combination of transmission electron microscopy and a calcium quantification method which was used to determine distribution of the particles in the vertical direction. While the scaffolds fabricated in DO had particles embedded within the walls of the scaffold, the scaffolds fabricated in a DO/water mixed solvent showed the particles partitioned to the surface of the scaffold walls, which is likely because the particles acted as interface stabilisers and were not miscible with the PCL rich phase. Therefore, it can be concluded that the polymer-solvent system used, as well as the phase separation mechanism that occurs, significantly influences the distribution of the particles in the scaffolds and thus the particle behaviour in solution is not necessarily a good predictor for the ability to fabricate scaffolds with a high degree of particle dispersion and hence for overall materials performance. Bulk crystallinity and compressive modulus were examined and it was determined that no significant changes occurred compared with the pristine PCL, while the surface bioactivity of the scaffolds had improved significantly, indicating that the particles were present at the polymer-solution interface.

Study on bioactivity and bonding strength between Ti alloy substrate and TiO 2 film by micro-arc oxidation

In this study, the Ti alloy substrate was simultaneously coated with TiO 2 film and hydroxyapatite using micro-arc oxidation, a relatively new surface modification technique where thick, hard, and anticorrosive oxide coatings can be easily and cost-effectively fabricated. Pulsed DC power and various voltages were applied to the Ti alloy substrate. Citric acid, ethylene diamine, and ammonium phosphate were also dissolved as electrolytes followed by the dispersion of hydroxyapatite nanoparticles into those prepared electrolytes. The effects of the composition and applied voltage on the bonding strength, bioactivity, cell attachment and cytotoxicity were investigated. It was observed that the simultaneously coated TiO 2 and hydroxyapatite samples showed improved bioactivity, cell attachment and viability, while maintaining the bonding strength between the coated film and substrate.

Influence of Nano-hydroxyapatite on the Mechanical Properties of Short-carbon-fiber/Poly(methyl methacrylate) Bio-composites

An in-situ processing combined with solution co-mixing approach was developed in the preparation of poly(methyl methacrylate)(PMMA) matrix bio-composites using hydroxyapatite(HA) nano-particles and short carbon fiber(Cf) as reinforced materials.The influences of HA particles on the mechanical properties and microstructures of the HA-Cf/PMMA composites were investigated.The mechanical properties were tested by universal testing machine.The phase compositions and fracture surface morphologies of the as-prepared HA-Cf/PMMA composites were characterized using X-ray diffraction(XRD),transmission electron microscope(TEM),field emission scanning electron microscope(FESEM) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscope(FT-IR).The results show that the interface bonding between HA and PMMA matrix and the mechanical properties of HA-Cf/PMMA composites are obviously improved by surface modification of HA with lecithin as coupling agent.With the increase of lecithin-modified HA mass fraction,the flexural strength,tensile strength,compressive strength,flexural modulus and tensile modulus of the as-prepared HA-Cf/PMMA composites firstly increase and then decrease.When the surface modified HA particles mass fraction is 8%,the dispersion of HA nano-particles in PMMA matrix is uniform and the flexural strength,tensile strength,flexural modulus and tensile modulus of the HA-Cf/PMMA composites reach the maximum value.

Understanding the roles of nanoparticle dispersion and polymer crystallinity in controlling the mechanical properties of HA/PHBV nanocomposites

Nano-sized hydroxyapatite (HA) particles stabilized using poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) as a dispersing agent, and sonic energy to further increase dispersion, were blended with poly(hydroxybutyrate-co-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) using a precipitation/gelation method to produce HA/PHBV nanocomposites with up to 16% by weight of HA content. The level of HA nanoparticle dispersion was monitored in the precursor dispersions prior to composite production and in the nanocomposites by a range of techniques including visual observation, turbidity measurements and electron microscopy, and the roles of the dispersing agent and the sonic energy in controlling the dispersion of HA particles in both the precursor dispersions and the final composites as well as their effects on the compressive strength and Young's modulus were investigated. It was found that HA suspensions treated with both PAA and sonic energy possessed significantly better colloidal stability compared to untreated suspensions or suspensions treated with either PAA or sonic energy. This, in turn, resulted in better dispersion of HA nanoparticles in the composites and higher compressive moduli as a function of the particle loading. This enhancement in stiffness of the composites was attributed primarily to the increased surface area of the HA filler in the more highly dispersed samples, but also to an observed increase in the crystalline content achievable after annealing of the samples. It is proposed that this increase in crystallinity is due to the more highly dispersed particles acting as nucleation sites for the crystallization of the PHBV at the particle interface, which, in turn, leads to enhancement of the bonding between the matrix and filler.

Understanding the roles of nanoparticle dispersion and polymer crystallinity in controlling the mechanical properties of HA/PHBV nanocomposites

Nano-sized hydroxyapatite (HA) particles stabilized using poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) as a dispersing agent, and sonic energy to further increase dispersion, were blended with poly(hydroxybutyrate-co-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) using a precipitation/gelation method to produce HA/PHBV nanocomposites with up to 16% by weight of HA content. The level of HA nanoparticle dispersion was monitored in the precursor dispersions prior to composite production and in the nanocomposites by a range of techniques including visual observation, turbidity measurements and electron microscopy, and the roles of the dispersing agent and the sonic energy in controlling the dispersion of HA particles in both the precursor dispersions and the final composites as well as their effects on the compressive strength and Young's modulus were investigated. It was found that HA suspensions treated with both PAA and sonic energy possessed significantly better colloidal stability compared to untreated suspensions or suspensions treated with either PAA or sonic energy. This, in turn, resulted in better dispersion of HA nanoparticles in the composites and higher compressive moduli as a function of the particle loading. This enhancement in stiffness of the composites was attributed primarily to the increased surface area of the HA filler in the more highly dispersed samples, but also to an observed increase in the crystalline content achievable after annealing of the samples. It is proposed that this increase in crystallinity is due to the more highly dispersed particles acting as nucleation sites for the crystallization of the PHBV at the particle interface, which, in turn, leads to enhancement of the bonding between the matrix and filler.