β-tricalcium phosphate composite ceramics with high compressive strength, enhanced osteogenesis and inhibited osteoclastic activities

beta-tricalcium phosphate (beta-TCP) is well known as a resorbable bone repair material due to its inherent excellent biocompatibility and osteoconductivity. However, beta-TCP is encountered with osteostimulation-deficiency and poor mechanical strength because of poor sinterability. Herein, we prepared novel beta-TCP composite ceramics (TCP/SPGs) by introducing strontium-containing phosphate-based glass (SPG; 45P(2)O(5)-32SrO-23Na(2)O) as sintering additive. The SPG helped to achieve efficient liquid-phase sintering of beta-TCP at 1100 degrees C. The compressive strength of TCP/SPGs with 15 wt.% SPG (TCP/SPG15) was 2.65 times as high as that of plain beta-TCP ceramic. The SPG reacted with beta-TCP, and the Sr2+ and Na2+ from SPG replaced Ca2+ in the lattice structure of beta-TCP, enabling the sustained release of strontium from TCP/SPGs. In vitro cytological test indicated that TCP/SPGs with certain amount of SPG were highly biocompatible, and noticeably promoted osteogenesis, and inhibited osteoclastic activities. Our results suggested that the TCP/SPG15 might be potential high-strength bone grafts used for bone defect repair, especially in the osteoporotic condition. (C) 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.