A study of novel biomaterials incorporating silica for potential application in bone repair

Eglin, D., 2003. A study of novel biomaterials incorporating silica for potential application in bone repair. PhD, Nottingham Trent University.

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Abstract

This thesis is concerned with the synthesis of poly(a-hydroxyacid)-silica composites, the study of their structure and their in vitro apatite-forming ability.

Poly(ϵ-caprolactone) and poly(L-lactic acid)-silica composites were prepared by a bulk, a sol-gel and a new reactive bulk method.

Statistical experimental design was used to study the effect of sol-gel reactants on the crystallinity of the hydroxyl terminated poly(a-hydroxyacids)-silica composites measured by differential scanning calorimetry and powder X-ray diffraction. The materials studied can be described, for a high silica content, as a co-continuous organic and inorganic structure and, for a low silica content, as a dispersed inorganic phase in an organic polymer. Other analytical techniques: infrared spectroscopy, thermal analysis and transmission electron microscopy were also used to study the effects of the silica content in the composite, the effect of poly(a-hydroxyacid) end-group modifications and the effect of procedural modifications on the nature of the prepared materials.

Methods of study of the in vitro apatite-forming ability of the composites were developed and compared. Mechanisms of in vitro apatite formation and the effect of the materials structure were tentatively elucidated. The study showed that a minimum amount of silica in the composites was necessary to observe in vitro apatite-formation and the formation of a silica gel layer on the material surface is probably the important step for the formation of an hydroxyapatite layer.

Finally, a new synthetic route to these composite materials was developed that could potentially lead to useful poly(a-hydroxyacid)-silica materials for medical applications. The mechanical and bioactivity properties of these materials were investigated and compared with those of other biomaterials such as poly(L-lactic acid) and Bioglass ®.

Item Type:	Thesis
Description:	This research programme was earned out in collaboration with Smith & Nephew Ltd.
Creators:	Eglin, D.
Date:	2003
ISBN:	9781369314908
Identifiers:	Number Type PQ10183224 Other
Divisions:	Schools > School of Science and Technology
Record created by:	Linda Sullivan
Date Added:	30 Nov 2020 14:33
Last Modified:	10 Aug 2023 08:53
URI:	https://irep.ntu.ac.uk/id/eprint/41715

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