abstract
In this work, hybrid chitosan/hydroxyapatite composites material were developed and characterized. The polymer matrix was first dissolved in polylactic acid, and then hydroxyapatite (HA) was added as filler material. The effects of the added amounts of a crosslinking agent (genipin) and of the concentrations of lactic acid, and of the presence of HA powder on the evolution of rheological properties were evaluated. A significant decrease of gelation time with increasing amounts of crosslinking agent was observed, the effect being even more pronounced in the presence of HA. The chitosan matrix and the composites with a chitosan/HA weight ratio of 2/5 were characterized using microstructural analysis and in vitro tests. The formation of large pore sizes in the chitosan-based scaffolds was favored by low concentrations of lactic acid and genipin. The in vitro tests in synthetic body fluid revealed an extensive formation of an apatitic layer onto the surface of the chitosan/HA composite scaffolds crosslinked with genipin. (c) 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res 88A: 916-922, 2009
keywords
SYNTHETIC BODY-FLUIDS; HYDROXYAPATITE POWDERS; 37-DEGREES-C; SCAFFOLDS; TISSUE
subject category
Engineering; Materials Science
authors
Araujo, ABA; Lemos, AF; Ferreira, JMF
our authors
Isabel Alexandra Fernandes Lemos
Post-doc Fellowship
José Maria da Fonte Ferreira
Retired Professoracknowledgements
Contract grant sponsor: Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology contract grant numbers: POCTI/ CTM/60207/2004; SFRH/BD/8755/2002 Contract grant sponsor: CICECO