title: New PMMA-co-EHA glass-filled composites for biomedical applications: Mechanical properties and bioactivity.
abstract: A bioactive glass of the 3CaO.P(2)O(5)-MgO-SiO(2) system was incorporated as a filler into poly(methylmethacrylate)-co-(ethylhexylacrylate) (PMMA-co-EHA) copolymer. The effect of filler proportion (0, 30, 40 and 50wt.%) on the bending properties was evaluated and a maximum flexural strength of 29MPa coupled with an elastic modulus of 1.1GPa was obtained at an intermediate filler concentration (30wt.%). These values are slightly higher than those usually reported for human cancellous bone. The in vitro bioactivity was assessed by determining the changes in surface morphology and composition after soaking in simulated body fluid (SBF, Kokubo solution). Inductively coupled plasma was used to trace the evolution of ionic concentrations in the SBF solution, namely Ca and P. X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy confirmed the growth of spherical calcium phosphate aggregates on the surface of composites, indicating that the composites are potentially bioactive.
authors.affiliation: CICECO, Department of Glass and Ceramic Engineering, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal. polianap@ua.pt
authors.forename: Poliana
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lopes
authors.forename: Marcelo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Corbellini
authors.forename: Bárbara Leite
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.forename: Nuno
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Almeida
authors.forename: Márcio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fredel
authors.forename: Maria Helena
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Fernandes
authors.forename: Rui
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Correia
mesh_terms: D000179:Acrylates / Q000737:chemistry*; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry*; D001826:Body Fluids / Q000737:chemistry; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000378:metabolism; D002130:Calcium Phosphates / Q000737:chemistry; D005898:Glass / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D008768:Methylmethacrylates / Q000737:chemistry*; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D010758:Phosphorus / Q000737:chemistry; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry*; D019904:Polymethyl Methacrylate / Q000737:chemistry*; D011312:Pressure; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D013499:Surface Properties; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction
chemical_list: D000179:Acrylates; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D002130:Calcium Phosphates; D008768:Methylmethacrylates; D011108:Polymers; C539373:poly(methylmethacrylate)-co-(ethylhexylacrylate); D010758:Phosphorus; D019904:Polymethyl Methacrylate; C020243:calcium phosphate