Synthesis of Bioactive HEMA-MPS-CaCl2 Hybrid Gels: Effects of Catalysts in the Sol-Gel Processing on Mechanical Properties and in vitro Hydroxyapatite Formation in a Simulated Body Fluid

We investigated synthetic conditions for the fabrication of bioactive hybrid gels from monomers of 2-hydroxyethylmethacrylate ( HEMA) and 3-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane (MPS) in combination with CaCl2, at a starting molar ratio of HEMA: MPS: CaCl2 of 9:1:1. Hydroxyapatite formation, essential to show bone bonding, was observed on the HEMA-MPS-CaCl2 hybrid gels with the added catalysts NH3 or HCl with a molar ratio to MPS of 0.1, but not on the hybrid gel with HCl at a molar ratio to MPS of 1. The mechanical properties of the gels were dependent on the catalysts, which may affect the microstructures that develop during sol-gel processing.