Preparation, characterization and in vitro dissolution behavior of porous biphasic alpha/beta-tricalcium phosphate bioceramics

摘要

The ideal bone tissue engineering scaffolds are long-cherished with the properties of interconnected macroporous structures, adjustable degradation and excellent biocompatibility. Here,.a series of porous alpha/beta-tricalcium phosphate (alpha/beta-TCP) biphasic bioceramics with different phase ratios of alpha-TCP and beta-TCP were successfully synthesized by heating an amorphous calcium phosphate precursor. The chemical and morphological characterization showed that - and -TCP phases co-existed in the /-TCP bioceramics and they had interconnected pore structures with size between 200 and 500 mu m. The in vitro dissolution behavior and bioactivity of the dual alpha/beta-TCP were also probed in static and dynamic SBF for the first time. The results revealed that alpha/beta-TCP scaffolds had good in vitro bioactivity, as the formation of bone-like apatite layers was induced on the scaffolds after mineralization in SBF. Moreover, dissolution rate of alpha/beta-TCP bioceramics in dynamic environment was higher than that under static condition. Compared with monophasic TCP ceramics, these porous alpha/beta-TCP bioceramics displayed a tailored dissolution rate proportionate to the TCP content (alpha and beta) in the materials. Further, the degradation profile of porous alpha/beta-TCP was well-described by Avrami equation. The porous dual alpha/beta-TCP bioceramics with controllable degradation behavior hold great potential to be applied in bone tissue engineering as bone substitutes. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.