Evaluation of bioactivity and mechanical properties of silica-based ceramic for using in tissue engineering application

Bone engineering presents an alternative approach to repair and regenerate a damaged tissue. For bone repair and bone tissue engineering applications, bioactive materials with different degradation and mechanical properties are needed. Recently hardystonite bioceramic have received great attention for treatment of bone defects. In this study, a bioactive hardystonite (HT) - forstrite (FO) nanocomposite was fabricated by two step sintering method. The structure, morphology and bioactivity potential of the nanocomposite were examined using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The composite with optimized mechanical properties was HT-20wt.%Fo that had the compressive modulus and strength of 287 MPa and 149 MPa, respectively. The feasibility of the produced composite for bone tissue engineering application was evaluated using simulated body fluid (SBF). A range of characterization techniques was applied to confirm the deposition of Hydroxyl carbonated apatite (HCA) deposition on the surface of HT-20wt.%Fo composite following 7 days in SBF. Overall, results suggest that HT-20wt.%Fo composite with improved mechanical properties, and apatite formation ability can be a promising candidate for bone tissue engineering applications.