Hydroxyapatite-Reinforced Polyamide 6,6 Nanocomposites through Melt Compounding

Hydroxyapatite-reinforced polyamide 6,6 nanocomposites were prepared for load-bearing bone implant applications. Nanoparticles of hydroxyapatite (nHAp) were synthesized through a wet chemical reaction and were incorporated into the polymer melt at different loading fractions by melt compounding so as to sensitively modulate the mechanical properties of the latter. Tensile properties of the nanocomposites were found to be substantially improved at filler loading fractions as low as 3wt%. Theoretical calculations also confirm the improved extent of reinforcement for nanocomposites over the predicted data for conventional micro counterparts. Differential scanning calorimetry studies revealed that the melting and crystallization characteristics of the polyamide matrix were unaltered with the incorporation of nHAp. However, the addition of nanohydroxyapatite considerably influenced the thermal stability of the nanocomposites.