Simulated Body Fluid

Calcium phosphate cement (CPC) has been successfully used in clinics as bone repair biomaterial for many years. However, poor mechanical properties and a low biodegradation rate limit any further applications. Magnesium phosphate cement (MPC) is characterized by fast setting, high initial strength and relatively rapid degradation in vivo. In this study, MPC was combined with CPC to develop novel calcium–magnesium phosphate cement (CMPC). The setting time, compressive strength, phase composition of hardened cement, degradation in vitro, cells responses in vitro by MG-63 cell culture and tissue responses in vivo by implantation of CMPC in bone defect of rabbits were investigated. The results show that CMPC has a shorter setting time and markedly better mechanical properties than either CPC or MPC. Moreover, CMPC showed significantly improved degradability compared to CPC in simulated body fluid. Cell culture results indicate that CMPC is biocompatible and could support cell attachment and proliferation. To investigate the in vivo biocompatibility and osteogenesis, the CMPC samples were implanted into bone defects in rabbits. Histological evaluation showed that the introduction of MPC into CPC enhanced the efficiency of new bone formation. CMPC also exhibited good biocompatibility, biodegradability and osteoconductivity with host bone in vivo. The results obtained suggest that CMPC, having met the basic requirements of bone tissue engineering, might have a significant clinical advantage over CPC, and may have the potential to be applied in orthopedic, reconstructive and maxillofacial surgery.

Bioactive glasses have attracted considerable interest in recent years, due to their technological application, especially in biomaterials research. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) has been used in the study of the crystallization mechanism in the SiO2–Na2O–CaO–P2O5 glass system, as a function of particle size. The curve of the bulk glass presents a slightly asymmetric crystallization peak that could be deconvoluted into two separate peaks, their separation being followed in the form of powder glasses. Also, a shift of the crystallization peaks to lower temperatures was observed with the decrease of the particle size. FTIR studies – that are confirmed by XRD measurements – proved that the different peaks could be attributed to different crystallization mechanisms. Moreover, it is presented the bioactive behavior of the specific glass as a function of particle size. The study of bioactivity is performed through the process of its immersion in simulated human blood plasma (simulated body fluid, SBF) and the subsequent examination of the development of carbonate-containing hydroxyapatite layer on the surface of the particles. The bioactive response is improved with the increase of the particle size of powders up to 80 μm and remains almost unchanged for further increase, following the specific surface to volume ratio decrease.

Hydroxyapatite (HAp) is a potential material for various biomedical applications. In the present study, an attempt has been made to synthesize this material using simpler and cheaper method of solid-state-reaction process. Samples were prepared by mixing the ingredients and ...

The synthesis of four types of hydroxyapatite synthesized from calcium chloride and four different organic phosphites is presented. The method of synthesis chosen is the sol–gel route, which has a number of advantages compared to other methods, like the intimate contact between reactants and the milder synthesis conditions. The samples were thermally treated, the TG/DTG/DTA curves being obtained at four heating rates, namely: 7, 10, 12 and 15 °C min−1. The samples were characterized before and after the thermal treatment using FT-IR analysis. The FT-IR spectra certified that the formed compounds represent hydroxyapatite. Based on the information from the TG curves and IR spectra interpretation, a reaction mechanism was proposed.

MgO/ZnO composite coatings were successfully prepared on AZ91 Mg alloy by plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) method using electrolytes containing ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) to extend their biomedical applications. The effect of the concentration of 0 to 4.5 g·L −1 ZnO NPs in phosphate-based electrolyte on the microstructure, composition, physical features, corrosion and biodegradation properties of coatings was investigated. Observing the microstructure through field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) confirmed that ZnO NPs were well up-taken in the coating structure with crater-like morphology and, they were mostly accumulated near the pores. As ZnO NPs concentration increased, more particles were incorporated in the coating; however, porosity, thickness and surface roughness reduced. The evaluation of the electrochemical behavior of specimens using potentiodynamic polarization test revealed that the polarization resistance of the samples increased from 9.26 to 683.2 kΩ·cm 2 by adding 4.5 g·L −1 ZnO NPs. The study of corrosion mechanism by identifying the coating features using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) indicated that the compacting of the coating and the difficulty of the penetration path of corrosive ions between the coating layers due to the presence of ZnO NPs had a more dominant effect relative to thickness reduction. Conducting the bioactivity test by immersion of coatings in simulated body fluid (SBF) solution for 14 days showed the higher growth of calcium phosphate layer formed on the sample as the concentration of ZnO NPs increases. In addition, the changes in weight loss and volume of hydrogen evolution were much less, and the mechanism of these changes was presented.

New compositions of bioactive glasses are proposed in the CaO–MgO–SiO2–Na2O–P2O5–CaF2 system. Mineralization tests with immersion of the investigated glasses in simulated body fluid (SBF) at 37°C showed that the glasses favour the surface formation of hydroxyapatite (HA) from the early stages of the experiments. In the case of daily renewable SBF, monetite (CaHPO4) formation competed with the formation of HA. The influence of structural features of the glasses on their mineralization (bioactivity) performance is discussed. Preliminary in vitro experiments with osteoblasts’ cell-cultures showed that the glasses are biocompatible and there is no evidence of toxicity. Sintering and devitrification studies of glass powder compacts were also performed. Glass-ceramics with attractive properties were obtained after heat treatment of the glasses at relatively low temperatures (up to 850°C).

Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) method has been used to synthesis
nanocoatings thin films of Alumina, Titania, and Alumina/Titania multilayer on stainless steel AISI 316L at 250 °C deposition
temperatures for the medical applications. SEMand EDX have been used to characterize the morphology of the films and the element
analysis of the alloys and the thin films respectively. Open circuit potential, potentiostatic polarization (Tafel extrapolation) and cyclic polarization methods have been used to study the corrosion resistance of the films in Simulation Body Fluid (SBF) at 37 ± 1 ºC. Immersion test in SBF for 2weeks at 37± 1 ºC has been used to determine
the biocompatibility of the films. Numbers of colonies and diffusion zone methods have been used after cultured non-pathogeni E-coli bacteria to demonstrate the bioactivity (toxicity effects) of the thin films. The SEM morphology observations show different particles shape and size of the Alumina (nanotubes shape around 10-20 nm in size) and
Titania films (cauliflower particles shape around 20-50nm in size). The results also show that the corrosion resistance can be effectively enhanced by thin films, multilayer proved to be more corrosion protection than single layers, and Alumina has better corrosion
resistance than Titania.

The polycrystalline Ni–Zn ferrite powder with the chemical formula Ni0.8Zn0.2Fe2O4 has been synthesized using co-precipitation route. The toroidal and pellet form samples were sintered at various temperatures from 700 to 1300 °C/5 h in steps of 200 °C. The structures of samples were studied by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and the energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDXS). The magnetic and dielectric measurements were carried out using a vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) and the impedance analyzer, respectively. The highest density of 4.48 g cm−3 was obtained for the sample sintered at 1300 °C. It was found that the initial permeability increased from 4 to 17 and the RLF was in the order of 10−3 to 10−4 in the frequency range of 1.0 MHz to 1.0 GHz. The dielectric constant and dielectric loss were lower compared to the reported values for conventional solid state technique. The electrical resistivity is in the order of 108 Ω cm. Therefore, low relative loss factor and high resistivity make these ferrites particularly useful as inductor and transformer materials for high frequency applications.

Highly porous PTFE membranes are currently being used in facial reconstructive surgery. The present study aims at improving this biomaterial through creating a more bioactive surface by introducing ionic groups onto the surface. The unmodified PTFE membrane does not induce inorganic growth after immersion in simulated body fluid (SBF) for up to 4 weeks. Copolymeric grafting with acrylic acid (AAc) by means of gamma irradiation and subsequent in vitro testing in SBF reveals that this copolymer initially acts as an ion-exchange material and subsequently induces growth of a calcium phosphate phase (Ca/P=2.7) when large amounts (15%) of pAAc are introduced onto the membrane surface. This copolymer is not expected to function well from a biomaterials perspective since SEM showed the pores on the surface to be partly blocked. In contrast, the surface of monoacryloxyethyl phosphate (MAEP)-modified samples is altered at a molecular level only. Yet the modified materials are able to induce calcium phosphate nucleation when the external surface coverage is 44% or above. The initial inorganic growth on these membranes in SBF has a (Ca+Mg)/P ratio of 1.1 (presumably Brushite or Monetite). The secondary growth, possibly calcium-deficient apatite or tricalcium phosphate, has a (Ca+Mg)/P ratio of 1.5. This result is a promising indicator of a bioactive biomaterial.

The aim of this work was to study the influence of the composition and thermal treatment of the in vitro bioactivity of wollastonite materials obtained by sol–gel method. For this purpose, gels in the system SiO2–CaO were obtained applying calcium nitrate and tetraethoxysilicate as precursors. The gels were heated to 700°C and then sintered up to 1400°C. The bioactivity of the gel-derived materials in simulated body fluid (SBF) was investigated and characterized. Additional changes in ionic concentration, using inductively couple plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES), were determined. The results showed that all materials obtained were bioactive and indicate that the absence of phosphorous in the material composition is not an essential requirement for the development of a Hydroxyapatite layer. The bioactivity was influenced by the thermal treatment, the different phases (glass-phase, wollastonite and pseudowollastonite) as well as the porous size. On the gel-derived materia...

The mechanical properties of biodegradable polymers and composites proposed for use in internal fixation (in place of stainless steel) are crucial to the performance of devices made from them for support of healing bone. To assess the reported range of properties and degradation rates. we searched and reviewed papers and abstracts published in English from 1980 through 1988. Mechanical property data were found for poly(lactic acid), poly (glycolic acid), poly(ϵ-caprolactone), polydioxanone, poly(ortho ester), poly(ethylene oxide), and/or their copolymers. Reports of composites based on several of these materials, reinforced with nondegradable and degradable fibers, were also found. The largest group of studies involved poly(lactic acid). Mechanical test methods varied widely, and studies of the degradation of mechanical properties were performed under a variety of conditions, mostly in vitro rather than in vivo.Compared to annealed stainless steel, unreinforced biodegradable polymers were initially up to 36% as strong in tension and 54% in bending, but only about 3% as stiff in either test mode. With fiber reinforcement, reported highest initial strengths exceeded that of stainless steel. Stiffness reached 62% of stainless steel wiht nondegradable carbon fibers, 15% with degradable inorganic fibers, but only 5% with degradable polymeric fibers.The slowest-degrading unreinforced biodegradable polymers were poly(L-lactic acid) and poly(ortho ester). Biodegradable composites with carbon or inorganic fibers generally lost strength rapidly, with a slower loss of stiffness, suggesting the difficulty of fiber-matrix coupling in these system. The strength of composites reinforced wiht (lower modulus) degradable polymeric fibers decreased more slowly.Low implant stiffness might be expected to allow too much bone motion for satisfactory healing. However, unreinforced or degradable polymeric fiber reinforced materials have been used successfully clinically. The key has been careful selection of applications, plus use of designs and fixation methods distinctly different from those appropriate for stainless steel devices.

Besides the excellent mechanical properties of titanium and alumina (Al(2)O(3)) in the case of load bearing applications, their bone-bonding properties are very different. In osseous environment, Al(2)O(3) ceramic is encapsulated by fibrous tissues, whereas bone can bind directly to titanium, via its natural titanium dioxide (TiO(2)) passivation layer. So far, this calcification dissimilarity between TiO(2) and Al(2)O(3) was attributed to respectively their negative and positive surface charge under physiological conditions. The present study aims at studying the chemical interactions between TiO(2) and Al(2)O(3) (phase alpha) with the diverse ions contained in simulated body fluids (SBFs) buffered with trishydroxymethyl aminomethane (TRIS) at pH=6.0 and pH=7.4. After 1 h of immersion, TiO(2) and alpha-Al(2)O(3) powders were analyzed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The results indicated that Ca and HPO(4) groups were present on TiO(2) surface. In addition, HPO(4) groups w...