title: Fabrication and characterization of novel biomimetic PLLA/cellulose/hydroxyapatite nanocomposite for bone repair applications.
abstract: The purpose of this research is to develop and characterize a novel biomimetic nanocomposite that closely mimics the properties of real bone such as morphology, composition and mechanical characteristics. This novel porous nanocomposite is composed of cotton-sourced cellulose microcrystals, hydroxyapatite nanoparticles and poly l-lactide acid. A unique combination of commonly used fabrication procedures has been developed including pre-treatment of particles using a coupling agent. The effect of various weight ratios of the reinforcing agents was evaluated to assess their influence on the chemical, thermal, and mechanical properties of the nanocomposites. The prepared nanocomposites were characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry and compression testing. Our results indicated the presence of molecular interactions between all components leading to an increase of the crystallinity of the polymer from 50% to 80%. Compression test results revealed that increasing the weight ratio of microcrystalline cellulose/poly l-lactide acid and hydroxyapatite/poly l-lactide acid from 0.1 to 0.5 enhanced the compressive yield stress from 0.127 to 2.2MPa and The Young's modulus from 6.6 to 38MPa, respectively. It was found that the fabricated nanocomposites are comparable with the trabecular bone from compositional, structural, and mechanical point of view.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Engineering, Ryerson University, 350 Victoria Street, Toronto, ON M5B 2K3, Canada.
authors.forename: Samin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Eftekhari
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Ryerson University, 350 Victoria Street, Toronto, ON M5B 2K3, Canada.
authors.forename: Ihab
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: El Sawi
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Ryerson University, 350 Victoria Street, Toronto, ON M5B 2K3, Canada.
authors.forename: Zahra Shaghayegh
authors.initials: ZS
authors.lastname: Bagheri
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Engineering, Ryerson University, 350 Victoria Street, Toronto, ON M5B 2K3, Canada.
authors.forename: Ginette
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Turcotte
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Ryerson University, 350 Victoria Street, Toronto, ON M5B 2K3, Canada. Electronic address: habiba.bougherara@ryerson.ca.
authors.forename: Habiba
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bougherara
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry; D032701:Biomimetics / Q000379:methods*; D001861:Bone Regeneration / Q000187:drug effects*; D002152:Calorimetry, Differential Scanning; D002460:Cell Line; D002482:Cellulose / Q000737:chemistry; D017886:Durapatite / Q000737:chemistry*; D008422:Materials Testing; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D053761:Nanocomposites / Q000737:chemistry*; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry; D010006:Osteoblasts / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D011091:Polyesters / Q000737:chemistry*; D016062:Porosity; D051381:Rats; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D011091:Polyesters; C499699:hydroxyapatite-polylactide; C033616:poly(lactide); D002482:Cellulose; D017886:Durapatite; C109691:microcrystalline cellulose
keywords: Bone repair; Cellulose; Hydroxyapatite; MCC/PLLA/HA; Nanocomposite; Poly l-lactide acid