Scaffolds for bone tissue restoration from biological apatite

Abstract

A great deal of effort has been exerted to design scaffolds for bone tissue restoration from naturally-derived biomaterials that mimic the composition and structure of natural bone. This article reports a simple method for processing biological apatite (BAp) from bovine bone. Chemical and low temperature heat treatments were employed for the processing of BAp scaffold. Phase composition, microstructure, and compressive sirength were examined by various analytical methods. The results indicated that the phase composition and crystalline structure of BAp correspond to the hydroxyapatite (HAp) phase. The SEM observation showed that the BAp possesses porous morphology and the pores are in the range of micrometers to nanometers in diameter. Despite the porous structure, the scaffold possesses adequate mechanical strength required for low-weight bearing orthopedic applications. The overall experimental results therefore suggest that the BAp may be used as scaffolds for bone tissue restoration.