Novel Methodology for the Fabrication of In-Vitro Bioactive Scaffolds Comprised of Silver-Doped Hydroxyapatite Combined with Polyvinyltrimethoxysilane
摘要
This chapter presents the novel fabrication of an Ag-doped HA + PVTMS scaffold. Recently, the focus has shifted to enhancing the biocompatibility and mechanical properties of biomaterials with highly porous structures. Porous composites represent a modern class of bioengineering materials with outstanding functional and structural attributes. This study explores the physical and mechanical characteristics of silver (Ag)-doped hydroxyapatiteHydroxyapatite (HA) synthesized through mechanochemical and spark plasma sintering (SPS) methods. The study examines how the dopant affects phase formation, structural properties, mechanical properties, and morphological characteristics. Uniquely, a hair band was employed as a mold to produce a porous scaffold with an average size exceeding 100 µm. Employing the Monshi–ScherrerScherrer method, the scaffold's crystal size was determined to be 38 ± 2 nm, aligning well with the average values from transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis. The scaffold's compressive strength was tested, recording a peak value of ~ 15.71 MPa. Utilizing XRD, TEM, Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR), scanning electron microscope (SEM), and energy dispersive X-Ray analysis (EDAX), results affirmed the scaffold's bioactivity and indicated that both Ag-HA doping and polyvinyltrimethoxysilane (PVTMS) as an additive were beneficial. The findings highlighted that thermal treatment impacts the composition of Ag and HA, with no transformation changes occurring at 850 °C. Moreover, PVTMS significantly contributes as an additive by hindering decomposition and generating open microporosities in the scaffold, which enhance bioactivity.