title: Synthesis and properties of hydroxyapatite/poly-L-lactide composite biomaterials.
abstract: Calcium hydroxyapatite (HAp) and poly-L-lactide (PLLA) were synthesized chemically. The obtained HAp was of high purity and, after special thermal treatment, of high crystallinity as well. Synthesis of PLLA was performed using L-lactide as a monomer and nontoxic initiator. In this way a polymer of large molar weight (about 400,000) was obtained. The HAp and PLLA obtained were used as constituents of the HAp/PLLA composite biomaterial, a potential material for implants. The composite was obtained by mixing completely dissolved PLLA with granules of HAp. The composite was compacted by cold and hot pressing at pressures of 49.0-490.5 MPa and temperatures of 20-184 degrees C. The material obtained at optimum process parameters had a density of 99.6% and compressive strength of 93.2 MPa.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Technical Sciences of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Belgrade, Yugoslavia.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ignjatović
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tomić
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dakić
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Miljković
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Plavsić
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Uskoković
mesh_terms: D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry; D017886:Durapatite / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry; D006358:Hot Temperature; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D008970:Molecular Weight; D011091:Polyesters / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry; D019736:Prostheses and Implants; D013816:Thermodynamics; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D011091:Polyesters; C033616:poly(lactide); D017886:Durapatite