Comparison of Physicochemical, Mechanical, and (Micro-)Biological Properties of Sintered Scaffolds Based on Natural- and Synthetic Hydroxyapatite Supplemented with Selected Dopants

The specific combinations of materials and dopants presented in this work have not been previously described. The main goal of the presented work was to prepare and compare the different properties of newly developed composite materials manufactured by sintering. The synthetic-(SHAP) or natural- (NHAP) hydroxyapatite serves as a matrix and was doped with: (i) organic: multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT), fullerenes C60, (ii) inorganic: Cu nanowires. Research undertaken was aimed at seeking novel candidates for bone replacement biomaterials based on hydroxyapatite—the main inorganic component of bone, because bone reconstructive surgery is currently mostly carried out with the use of autografts; titanium or other non-hydroxyapatite -based materials. The physicomechanical properties of the developed biomaterials were tested by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Dielectric Spectroscopy (BSD), Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR), and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), as well as microhardness using Vickers method. The results showed that despite obtaining porous sinters. The highest microhardness was achieved for composite materials based on NHAP. Based on NMR spectroscopy, residue organic substances could be observed in NHAP composites, probably due to the organic structures that make up the tooth. Microbiology investigations showed that the selected samples exhibit bacteriostatic properties against Gram-positive reference bacterial strain S. epidermidis (ATCC 12228); however, the property was much less pronounced against Gram-negative reference strain E. coli (ATCC 25922). Both NHAP and SHAP, as well as their doped derivates, displayed in good general compatibility, with the exception of Cu-nanowire doped derivates

Composite Nanofibers Containing Multiwall Carbon Nanotubes as Biodegradable Membranes in Reconstructive Medicine

International audienceWe have tested titanium (Ti) plates that are used for bone reconstruction in maxillofacial surgery, in combination with five types of novel long-resorbable biomaterials: (i) PCL 0-polycaprolactone without additives, (ii) PCL MWCNT-polycaprolactone with the addition of multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNT), (iii) PCL OH-polycaprolactone doped with multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) containing-OH hydroxyl groups, (iv) PCL COOH-polycaprolactone with the addition of multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) containing carboxyl groups, and (v) PCL TI-polycaprolactone with the addition of Ti nanoparticles. The structure and properties of the obtained materials have been examined with the use of Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Raman spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and/or X-ray powder diffraction (XRD). Titanium BR plates have been covered with: (i) PCL 0 fibers (PCL 0BR-connection plates), (ii) PCL MWCNT fibers (PCL MWCNTBR-plates), (iii) PCL OH fibers (PCL OHBR-plates), (iv) PCL COOH (PCL COOHBR-plates), (v) PCL TI fiber (PCL TIBR-connection plates). Such modified titanium plates were exposed to X-ray doses corresponding to those applied in head and neck tumor treatment. The potential leaching of toxic materials upon the irradiation of such modified titanium plates, and their effect on normal human dermal fibroblasts (NHDF) have been assessed by MTT assay. The presented results show variable biological responses depending on the modifications to titanium plates