The present article deals with the development of 3D porous scaffolds for bone grafting. They were prepared based on rapid fluid infiltration of Al2O3-SiO2 sol into a polyethylene non-woven fabric template structure. Titanium dioxide in concentration equal to 5 wt% was added to the Al2O3-SiO2 mixture to produce Al2O3-SiO2-TiO2 composite scaffolds. The prepared scaffolds are characterized by means of X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and three-point bending test techniques. The bioactivity of the produced bodies is discussed, including the in vitro and in vivo assessments. The produced scaffolds exhibit mean total porosity of 66.0% and three-point bending strength of 7.1 MPa. In vitro studies showed that MG-63 osteoblast-like cells attach and spread on the scaffolds surfaces. Furthermore, cells grew through the scaffolds and start to produce extra-cellular matrix. Additionally, in vivo studies revealed the ability of the porous scaffolds to regenerate bone tissue in femur defects of albino rats 5 months post surgery. Histological analysis showed that the defect is almost entirely filled with new bone. The formed bone is characterized as a mature bone. The produced bone grafts are intended to be used as bone substitute or bone filler as their degradation products caused no inflammatory effects.
GoyleWJSimonetWSLaceyDL. Differentiation and activation. Nature2003; 423: 337–342.
2.
HulbertSFYoungFAMathewsRS. Potential of ceramic materials as permanently implantable skeletal prostheses. J Biomed Mater Res1970; 4(3): 433–456.
3.
HeimkeGLeenSWillmannG. Knee arthoplasty: recently developed ceramic offer new solutions. Biomaterials2002; 23(7): 1539–1551.
4.
IgnatiusAPerousMSchorlemmerS. Osseointergration of alumina with a bioactive coating under load-bearing and unloaded conditions. Biomaterials2005; 26: 2325–2332.
5.
ChangYSOkaMKobayashiM. Significance of interstitial bone ingrowth under load-bearing conditions: a comparison between solid and porous implant materials. Biomaterials1996; 17(11): 1141–1148.
6.
HenchLL. Biomaterials: a forecast for the future. Biomaterials1998; 19(16): 1419–1423.
7.
Wilson J, Yli-Urpo A and Pekka, HR. Bioactive glasses: clinical applications. In: LL Hench and J Wilson (eds) An introduction to bioceramics. Singapore: World Scientific, 1993, pp.63–73.
RichardsonWCJrKlawitterJJSauerBW. Soft tissue response to four dense ceramic materials and two clinically used biomaterials. J Biomed Mater Res1975; 91: 73–80.
10.
LeivoJMMeretojaVVippolaM. Sol-gel derived aluminosilicate coatings on alumina substrate for osteoblasts. Acta Mater2006; 2: 659–668.
11.
TodeaMFrentiuBTurcuRFV. Surface structure changes on aluminosilicate microspheres at the interface with simulated body fluid. Corros Sci2012; 54: 299–306.
12.
YlanenHKarlssonKHItalaA. Effect of immersion in SBF on porous bioactive bodies made by sintering bioactive glass microspheres. J Non-Cryst Solids2000; 25: 107–115.
13.
PelmenschikovAStrandhHPetterssonLGM. Lattice resistance to hydrolysis of Si-O-Si bonds of silicate minerals Ab initio calculations of a single water attack onto the (001) and (111) β-cristobalite surfaces. J Phys Chem B2000; 104: 5779–5783.
14.
CacainaDYlanenHSimonS. The behavior of selected yttrium containing bioactive glass microspheres in simulated body environments. J Mater Sci Mater Med2008; 19: 1225–1233.
15.
SultanPDasSBhattacharyaA. Novel utilization of bauxite – treated fly ash – based ceramics for its antibacterial activity. Int J Appl Ceram Technol2012; 9(3): 550–560.
16.
MurthyMKHummelFA. X-ray study of the solid solution of TiO2, Fe2O3, and Cr2O3 in mullite (3Al2O3ċ2SiO2). Am Ceram Soc1960; 43: 267–267.
17.
BaudinCMoyaJS. Influence of titanium dioxide on the sintering and microstructural evolution of mullite. J Am Ceram Soc1984; 67: C–134–136.
18.
SchneiderHRagerH. Occurrence of Ti3+ and Fe2+ in mullite. J Am Ceram Soc1984; 67: C–248–250.
19.
TkalčecENavalaDĆosić. Distribution of titanium and aluminium in sintered mullite. J Mater Sci1990; 25: 1816–1820.
20.
Boccaccini AR, Gerhardt LC, Rebeling S and Blaker JJ. Fabrication, characterisation and assessment of bioactivity of poly (D, L Lactic acid) (PDLLA)/TiO2 nanocomposite films. Compos Part A Appl Sci Manuf 2005; 36: 721–727.
21.
KimHW. Biomedical nanocomposites of hydroxyapatite/ polycaprolactone obtained by surfactant mediation. J Biomed Mater Res A2007; 83(1): 169–177.
22.
LiRNieKPangW. Morphology and properties of organic–inorganic hybrid materials involving TiO2 and poly(e-caprolactone), a biodegradable aliphatic polyester. J Biomed Mater Res A2007; 83(1): 114–122.
23.
BoccacciniARBlakerJJMaquetV. Poly(D,L-lactide) (PDLLA) foams with TiO2 nanoparticles and PDLLA/TiO2-Bioglass® foam composites for tissue engineering scaffolds. J Mater Sci2006; 41: 3999–4008.
24.
TorresFGNazhatSNSheikhMd. Mechanical properties and bioactivity of porous PLGA/TiO2 nanoparticle-filled composites for tissue engineering scaffolds. Compos Sci Technol2007; 67: 1139–1147.
25.
TamjidEBagheriRVossoughiM. Effect of TiO2 morphology on in vitro bioactivity of polycaprolactone/TiO2 nanocomposites. Mater Lett2011; 65: 2530–2533.
26.
LiPOhtsukiCKokuboT. The role of hydrated silica, titania, and alumina in inducing apatite on implants. J Biomed Mater Res1994; 28(1): 7–15.
27.
TripathiHSBanerjeeG. Synthesis and mechanical properties of mullite from beach sand sillimanite: Effect of TiO2. J Eur Ceram Soc1998; 18: 2081–2087.
28.
SacksMDBozkurtNScheiffeleGW. Fabrication of mullite and mullite –matrix composites by transient viscous sintering of composite powders. J Am Ceram Soc1991; 74: 2428–2437.
29.
RanaAPSAikoOPaskJA. Sintering of α-Al2O3/ quartz, and α-Al2O3/ cristobalite related to mullte formation. Ceram Int1982; 8: 151–153.
30.
Bouzidi N, Bouzidi A, Gaudon P, et al. Porcelain containing anatase and rutile nanocrystals. Ceram Int 2013; 39: 489–495.
KokuboTKimHMMiyajiF. Ceramic-metal and ceramic-polymer composites prepared by a biomimetic process. Compos Part A: Appl Sci Manuf1999; 30(4): 405–409.
33.
KokuboTKimHMKawasgitaM. Novel bioactive materials with different mechanical properties. Biomaterials2003; 24(13): 2161–2175.
34.
MiyataNFukeK-iChenQ. Apatite – forming ability and mechanical properties of PTMO – modified CaO – SiO2 – TiO2 hybrids derived from sol-gel processing. Biomaterials2004; 25: 1–7.
35.
BehereiHHMohamedKhREl-BassyouniGT. Fabrication and characterization of bioactive glass (45S5)/titania biocomposites. Ceram Int2009; 35(5): 1991–1997.
36.
KokuboTKushitaniHSakkaS. Solutions able to reproduce in vivo surface – structure changes in bioactive glass – ceramic A-W3. J Biomed Mater Res1990; 24(6): 721–734.
37.
HenchLL. Bioceramics. J Am Ceram Soc1998; 81(7): 1705–1728.
38.
ChristodoulouIButteryLDSaravanapavanP. Dose – and time – dependent effect of bioactive gel-glass ionic – dissolution products on human fetal osteoblast – specific gene expression. J Biomed Mater Res B Appl Biomater2005; 74B(1): 529–537.
39.
ChristodoulouIButteryLDTaiG. Characterization of human fetal osteoblasts by microarray analysis following stimulation with 58S gel-glass ionic dissolution products. J Biomed Mater Res B Appl Biomater2006; 77B(2): 431–446.
40.
BielbyRCChristodoulouISPryceRS. Time – and concentration – dependent effects of dissolution products of 58S sol-gel bioactive glass on proliferation and differentiation of murine and human osteoblasts. Tissue Eng2004; 10(7–8): 1018–1026.
41.
HenchLLXynosIDPolakJM. Bioactive glasses for in situ tissue regeneration. J Biomater Sci Polymer Edn2004; 15(4): 543–562.
42.
ArcosDVallet-RegίM. Sol-gel silica- based biomaterials and bone tissue regeneration. Acta Biomaterialia2010; 6(8): 2874–2888.
