title: Fiber reinforcement of a biomimetic bone cement.
abstract: In this study we investigated the influence of electrospun polymer fibers on the properties of a α-tricalcium phosphate/gelatin biomimetic cement. To this aim, we added different amounts of poly(L-lactic acid) and poly(lactide-co-glycolide) fibers to the cement composition. Fibers enrichment provoked a significant reduction of both initial and final setting times. Moreover electrospun polymer fibers slowed down the conversion of α-tricalcium phosphate into calcium deficient hydroxyapatite. As a result, the final cements were more compact than the control cement, because of the smaller crystal dimensions and reduced crystallinity of the apatitic phase. The compressive strength, σ(b), and Young's modulus, E, of the control cement decreased significantly after 40 days soaking in physiological solution, whereas the more compact microstructure enabled fiber reinforced cements to maintain their mechanical properties in the long term.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry G. Ciamician, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy. silvia.panzavolta@unibo.it
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Panzavolta
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bracci
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Focarete
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gualandi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bigi
mesh_terms: D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D040761:Biomimetic Materials / Q000737:chemistry*; D001843:Bone Cements / Q000737:chemistry*; D002130:Calcium Phosphates / Q000737:chemistry; D019245:Compressive Strength; D003460:Crystallization; D017886:Durapatite / Q000737:chemistry; D055119:Elastic Modulus; D006801:Humans; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000737:chemistry; D008422:Materials Testing; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D011091:Polyesters; D011100:Polyglycolic Acid / Q000737:chemistry; D000077182:Polylactic Acid-Polyglycolic Acid Copolymer; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction
chemical_list: D001843:Bone Cements; D002130:Calcium Phosphates; D011091:Polyesters; D011108:Polymers; D000077182:Polylactic Acid-Polyglycolic Acid Copolymer; D011100:Polyglycolic Acid; D019344:Lactic Acid; C033616:poly(lactide); D017886:Durapatite; C018392:tricalcium phosphate