Synthesis and Optimization of PCL-Bioactive Glass Composite Scaffold for Bone Tissue Engineering

Bioactive glass is one of the promising material for filling bone defects. Though it provides proper mechanical strength, the major disadvantage of it, brittleness and insufficient elasticity, restricts its application for different bone defects. To compensate the mechanical instability of bioactive glass, we propose PCL a biocompatible and biodegradable polymer known for its mechanical property as a constituent of composite. The combination of a ceramic and a polymer could address a number of properties of natural bone which is a combination of collagen and hydroxyapatite. We prepared thin membrane of composite with different concentration of bioactive glass as 0%, 25%, 50% & 75% (w/w) of PCL, using blead casting system. pH and degradation analysis performed in PBS at 37 degrees C for 2 & 8 weeks respectively. PCL-bioactive glass composite is biocompatible & biodegradable, with 75% (w/w) bioactive glass thin membrane shows favorable degradation, which might synchronize with new bone tissue formation and adequate mechanical strength. Therefore, 75% of bioactive glass with PCL is a promising composite for bone tissue engineering application. (C) 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.