title: Calcium-deficient hydroxyapatite-PLGA composites: mechanical and microstructural investigation.
abstract: The microstructural and mechanical properties of composites composed of calcium deficient hydroxyapatite (CDHAp) and poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) have been investigated. The composites were formed by hydrolysis of alpha-tricalcium phosphate (alpha-TCP) to CDHAp in pressed precomposite compacts of alpha-TCP-PLGA-NaCl. The differences in hydrolysis of alpha-TCP-PLGA-NaCl for two compositions of 80:10:10 wt % and 60:20:20 wt %. were monitored by isothermal calorimetry and X-ray diffraction. The microstructural evolution and variance in final composite microstructure after hydrolysis at 37 degrees C, 45 degrees C, and 56 degrees C were examined by scanning electron microscopy. HAp-PLGA composite formed from the alpha-TCP-PLGA-NaCl (80:10:10) precomposites at 37 degrees C developed a tensile strength of 13.3 +/- 0.9 MPa, a flexural strength of 24.8 +/- 1.7 MPa, and Young's modulus of 2.8 +/- 0.3 GPa. These values were 12.00 +/- 0.2 MPa, 36.1 +/- 2.1 MPa, and 5.5 +/- 0.8 GPa for the precomposite composition 60:20:20. All these mechanical properties showed a variation with hydrolysis temperature and composition. The differences in mechanical properties were related to the final microstructures of the composites, which are governed by the morphological changes in the polymer structure at its glass transition temperature and the extent of cement-type formation of CDHAp by hydrolysis of alpha-TCP.
authors.affiliation: Materials Research Laboratory, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, USA.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Durucan
authors.forename: P W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Brown
mesh_terms: D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D018786:Bone Substitutes / Q000737:chemistry; D002118:Calcium / Q000032:analysis; D002151:Calorimetry; D017886:Durapatite / Q000737:chemistry; D004548:Elasticity; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000737:chemistry; D008422:Materials Testing; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D011100:Polyglycolic Acid / Q000737:chemistry; D000077182:Polylactic Acid-Polyglycolic Acid Copolymer; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry; D013499:Surface Properties; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction
chemical_list: D018786:Bone Substitutes; D011108:Polymers; D000077182:Polylactic Acid-Polyglycolic Acid Copolymer; D011100:Polyglycolic Acid; D019344:Lactic Acid; D017886:Durapatite; D002118:Calcium