Bioactive, Degradable and Tough Hybrids Through Calcium and Phosphate Incorporation

We report the first inorganic/organic hybrids that show outstanding mechanical properties (withstanding cyclic loading) and bone bioactivity. This new hybrid material may fulfil unmet clinical need for bioactive synthetic grafts can withstand loading. A SiO 2 /PTHF/PCL-diCOOH sol-gel system, combined inorganic organic co-networks at molecular level, previously demonstrated unprecedented synergy of properties, with excellent flexibility promoted formation articular cartilage matrix in vitro . Here, time, calcium phosphate ions were incorporated into component network, to impart osteogenic properties. Calcium methoxyethoxide triethyl precursors because they allow incorporation silicate network low temperature. The was characterised ATR-FTIR, XRD solid-state Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, which proved suggested Ca 2+ also interacted PCL-diCOOH through ionic bonds. resulted an increased strength (17–64 MPa) modulus toughness (2.5–14 compared original (which showed ∼3 MPa ∼0.35 MPa), while maintaining ability presence phosphates a more congruent dissolution TRIS buffer. shown by silicon, along PCL buffer after 1 week, whereas Ca-free mainly released negligible Si dissolution. enabled deposition hydroxycarbonate apatite following immersion simulated body fluid, not seen on hybrid. All passed cell cytotoxicity tests supported pre-osteoblast attachment. phosphate-free best behaviour better attachment, spreading potentially differentiation cells. Therefore, -CaO/PTHF/PCL-diCOOH represents promising biomaterial use regeneration.