Mechanical properties and biomineralization of multifunctional nanodiamond-PLLA composites for bone tissue engineering

Biomaterials. 2012 Jul;33(20):5067-75. doi: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2012.03.063. Epub 2012 Apr 9.

Abstract

Multifunctional bone scaffold materials have been produced from a biodegradable polymer, poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA), and 1-10% wt of octadecylamine-functionalized nanodiamond (ND-ODA) via solution casting followed by compression molding. By comparison to pure PLLA, the addition of 10% wt of ND-ODA resulted in a significant improvement of the mechanical properties of the composite matrix, including a 280% increase in the strain at failure and a 310% increase in fracture energy in tensile tests. The biomimetic process of bonelike apatite growth on the ND-ODA/PLLA scaffolds was studied using microscopic and spectroscopic techniques. The enhanced mechanical properties and the increased mineralization capability with higher ND-ODA concentration suggest that these biodegradable composites may potentially be useful for a variety of biomedical applications, including scaffolds for orthopedic regenerative engineering.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Biomechanical Phenomena
  • Calcification, Physiologic*
  • Calorimetry, Differential Scanning
  • Diamond / chemistry*
  • Lactic Acid / chemistry*
  • Microscopy, Electron, Scanning
  • Microscopy, Electron, Transmission
  • Nanostructures*
  • Polyesters
  • Polymers / chemistry*
  • Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared
  • Tissue Engineering*
  • X-Ray Diffraction

Substances

  • Polyesters
  • Polymers
  • Lactic Acid
  • poly(lactide)
  • Diamond