Title: Fabrication and bioactivity studies of wollastonite/polycaprolactone composites

Authors: R. Lakshmi; Rajan Choudhary; Fedor Senatov; Sergey Kaloshkin; Shobana Kothandam; Deepalekshmi Ponnamma; Kishor Kumar Sadasivuni; Sasikumar Swamiappan

Addresses: Department of Chemistry, Auxilium College, Vellore-632006, Tamil Nadu, India ' Faculty of Materials Science and Applied Chemistry, Rudolfs Cimdins Riga Biomaterials Innovations and Development Centre of RTU, Institute of General Chemical Engineering, Riga Technical University, Pulka St 3, Riga, LV-1007, Latvia; Baltic Biomaterials Centre of Excellence, Headquarters at Riga Technical University, Kipsala Street 6A, LV-1048 Riga, Latvia ' National University of Science and Technology "MISiS", Moscow, 119049, Russia ' National University of Science and Technology "MISiS", Moscow, 119049, Russia ' Department of Chemistry, School of Advanced Sciences, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore -632014, Tamil Nadu, India ' Materials Science and Technology Program, Department of Mathematics, Statistics and Physics, College of Arts and Sciences, Qatar University, P.O. Box 2713, Doha, Qatar ' Center for Advanced Materials, Qatar University, P.O. Box 2713, Doha, Qatar ' Department of Chemistry, School of Advanced Sciences, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore-632014, Tamil Nadu, India

Abstract: Current work investigates the influence of wollastonite on mechanical stability and biomineralisation ability of wollastonite/polycaprolactone (PCL) composites (WP composites). The solvent casting particulate leaching method was used to prepare these composites. FT-IR spectra indicated the presence of functional groups associated with PCL and wollastonite. Scanning electron microscopy showed aggregated morphology and wollastonite particles were embedded in the PCL matrix. The incorporation of wollastonite leads to a more than three-fold increase in the compressive strength of the composites. Moreover, the composites containing 50% wollastonite exhibited better compressive strength than 80%. This observation suggested that if the concentration of a filler is exceeded beyond its critical concentration then the mechanical stability of the composite will be compromised. The composites revealed good apatite deposition ability. Thus, the biomineralisation ability and compressive strength of PCL can be improved by preparing its composites with bioceramics.

Keywords: solvent casting particulate leaching; polycaprolactone; biomineralisation; compressive strength; bioceramic; calcium silicate; composite; porogen; scaffold; X-ray diffraction.

DOI: 10.1504/IJNBM.2023.132511

International Journal of Nano and Biomaterials, 2023 Vol.10 No.2, pp.86 - 99

Received: 16 Jul 2022
Accepted: 31 Oct 2022
Published online: 25 Jul 2023 *

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