Preparation of poly(lactic acid) composites containing calcium carbonate (vaterite).
A new type of ceramic-polymer biomaterial having excellent apatite-forming ability in simulated body fluid was prepared by hot-pressing a mixture of poly(-L-lactic acid) (PLA) and calcium carbonate (vaterite). After PLA dissolved in methylene chloride was mixed with calcium carbonate consisting of vaterite, the mixture was dried completely and subsequently hot-pressed uniaxially under a pressure of 40 MPa at 180 degrees C. When 30 wt% vaterite was introduced, the modulus of elasticity was effectively improved by 3.5-6 GPa, which was about twice higher than the modulus of PLA. The composite showed no brittle fracture behavior and a comparably high bending strength of approximately 50 MPa. The composite containing 30 wt% vaterite formed a 5-15-microm-thick bonelike apatite layer on its surface after soaking in SBF at 37 degrees C even for 1-3d.
Kasuga
Toshihiro
T
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Nagoya Institute of Technology, Gokiso-cho, Showa-ku, Japan. kasugato@mse.nitech.ac.jp
Maeda
Hirotaka
H
Kato
Katsuhito
K
Nogami
Masayuki
M
Hata
Ken-ichiro
K
Ueda
Minoru
M
D001031:Apatites; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D018786:Bone Substitutes; D002119:Calcium Carbonate / Q000737:chemistry*; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000737:chemistry*; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008422:Materials Testing; D008752:Methylene Chloride / Q000737:chemistry; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D011091:Polyesters; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry*
D001031:Apatites; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D018786:Bone Substitutes; D011091:Polyesters; D011108:Polymers; D019344:Lactic Acid; C033616:poly(lactide); D008752:Methylene Chloride; D002119:Calcium Carbonate