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Physical and In-Vitro Biological Evaluation of a Novel Calcium Sulfate-Apatite Nanocomposite
by A. Zamanian*, S. Hesaraki, M. Khorami
Ceramics Department, Materials and Energy Research Center, Karaj, Iran
Abstract
This paper describes some characteristics of a novel nanocomposite cement comprising nanocrystalline apatite and calcium sulfate, which is suitable for orthopaedic applications. Nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite was produced from a biomimetic mineralization through reaction of acidic and basic calcium phosphates in simulated body fluid (SBF). The cement-type nanocomposite was prepared by mixing a powder phase, 60 wt% calcium sulfate hemihydrate and 40 wt. % nanoapatite, with distilled water. It set at about 20 min and had a compressive strength of about 4 MPa after storing in SBF for 24 h. Based on the results, the hardened nanocomposite cement composed of a multi-phase system: Apatite, gypsum and calcium sulfate hemihydrate. Microstructural observations showed a highly microporous structure containing apatite particles among needlelike calcium sulfate crystals. The preliminary quantitative in vitro studies of cell-material interactions showed better proliferation and growth of fibroblastic cells in the culture medium containing the nanocomposite in comparison with pure calcium sulfate cement.
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