Properties of elastomeric calcium phosphate cement-chitosan composites.
OBJECTIVE
Self-hardening calcium phosphate cements (CPC) have been shown to be efficacious in a number of clinical applications. For some applications it is desirable to have CPC in a non-rigid resorbable elastomeric matrix. In the present study, chitosan was evaluated as the matrix for preparing CPC-chitosan composites.


METHODS
Cement specimens were prepared by mixing CPC powder (an equimolar mixture of tetracalcium phosphate and dicalcium phosphate anhydrous) with a chitosan solution at a powder/liquid ratio of 2-2.5. The setting time was measured by a Gilmore needle method. A standard three-point flexural test was used to fracture the specimens at a crosshead speed of 0.5 mm/min. Powder X-ray diffraction analysis was used to determine the conversion of the CPC to hydroxyapatite.


RESULTS
The CPC-chitosan composites were more stable in water than conventional CPC. They did not disintegrate even when placed in water immediately after mixing. The CPC-chitosan paste hardened within 10 min in all cases. The 1d mean flexural modulus (GPa) for the control CPC was 5.3 (0.3) (mean (standard deviation); n=5), and that for CPC-chitosan composites were between 2.7 (0.3) and 4.7 (0.3). The 1d mean flexural strength (MPa) for the control was 16.6 (1.9), and that for the CPC-chitosan ranged from 4.5 (0.5) and 12.0 (1.0) (n=5). Chitosan did not interfere the conversion of CPC components to hydroxyapatite.


CONCLUSIONS
This study demonstrates that CPC-chitosan composites are stable in a wet environment and have acceptable mechanical strengths for clinical applications.
D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry*; D002130:Calcium Phosphates / Q000737:chemistry*; D002686:Chitin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000737:chemistry*; D048271:Chitosan; D019245:Compressive Strength; D003738:Dental Cements / Q000737:chemistry*; D017886:Durapatite / Q000737:chemistry; D020724:Elastomers / Q000737:chemistry*; D006244:Hardness; D006801:Humans; D008422:Materials Testing; D018583:Pliability; D012995:Solubility; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D013718:Tensile Strength; D014867:Water; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction
D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D002130:Calcium Phosphates; D003738:Dental Cements; D020724:Elastomers; D014867:Water; D002686:Chitin; D048271:Chitosan; D017886:Durapatite