Improvement of short Ca-P whiskers/polylactide composites by surface modification with lauric acid
Journal Title: Engineering of Biomaterials / Inżynieria Biomateriałów - Year 2018, Vol 21, Issue 145
Abstract
Polymer-ceramic composites are widely used in regenerative medicine, especially in orthopedics, as there are many methods of modifying their properties depending on the intended use. One of them is filling the polymer matrix with fillers, giving the composite adequate mechanical strength. It is very important then to choose the type and amount of the filler, as well as the agent improving the adhesion between filler and polymer. Short apatite whiskers (Ca-P) are interesting fillers improving mechanical strength. As the proadhesive agents for implant materials, non-toxic compounds which strengthen the polymer-filler connection are chosen. Other features that are beneficial to the composite, e.g. antibacterial properties, are also contemplated in the selection. The paper presents results of research on the effect of Ca-P whiskers surface modification with lauric acid (LA) on the properties of composites obtained by hot pressing. Lauric acid was used to improve the chemical compatibility between whiskers and polymer matrix, and it was selected due to antibacterial properties and non-toxicity. The polylactide PLA - RESOMER® LR 706 S (Evonik) and the synthesized triphasic Ca-P whiskers (unmodified and LA modified) were mixed to prepare the composites. The properties of the obtained composites were determined by measuring the tensile strength and the contact angle. Microscopic images of fractures were also analyzed. The obtained tests results show that modification of the Ca-P whiskers surface with lauric acid allows to obtaining a better interfacial connection between these whiskers and the polylactide matrix. It results in better tensile strength than in the case of composites with unmodified whiskers. It is also important that the use of lauric acid as a surface modifier of the whiskers allows to obtain composites with increased hydrophilicity, which is important for the attachment and growth of cells.
Authors and Affiliations
M. Biernat, Z. Jaegermann, P. Tymowicz-Grzyb
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP559029
- DOI -
- Views 53
- Downloads 0
Montmorillonite as a drug carrier
The use of clay minerals for medical applications dates back to prehistoric times. Specific properties of this group of minerals, their universality, low cost, ability to ion exchange, absorption capacity, inertness in c...
Caffeine as a modifying agent in acrylic hydrogels
Hydrogels are materials created by polymer chains, that form a three-dimensional and crosslinked structure. These polymers are characterized by a very high sorption capacity, therefore they belong to the group of substan...
Fabrication and physicochemical properties of pectin/chitosan scaffolds
Scaffolds from chitosan and its combinations with other polymers are widely used for tissue engineering application. This is due to the favourable biological properties of chitosan such as antimicrobial activity, biocomp...
The influence of mineralization conditions on the effectiveness of enzymatic mineralization of hydrogels
Polysaccharide hydrogels are widely used in food industry and medicine. Gellan gum (GG) recently gained a lot of attention as a promising material for tissue regeneration proposes due to its excellent biocompatibility an...
Otrzymywanie oraz charakterystyka skafoldów sieciowanych kwasem taninowym na bazie chitozanu, kolagenu oraz kwasu hialuronowego
Biopolimery są szeroko stosowane w dziedzinie biomateriałów. Są biokompatybilne, biodegradowalne oraz nietoksyczne dla ludzkiego organizmu. Celem niniejszych badań eksperymentalnych było otrzymanie kompozytów na bazie ko...