Synthesis and preliminary characterization of polyethylene glycol (PEG)/hydroxyapatite (HAp) nanocomposite for biomedical applications

Currently, composite materials have gained momentum in the field of orthopedics and maxillofacial surgery. Among the composite materials, ceramic/polymer possesses significant advantages of high mechanical reliability and excellent biocompatibility for applications in load bearing areas. In this work, polyethylene glycol (PEG)/hydroxyapatite (HAp) nanocomposites of varying weight percentages were synthesized and characterized physical-chemically by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), 31 P nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA), differential thermal analysis (DTA) and field emission-scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and biologically by antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory assays to evaluate their potential use for biomedical applications. The results indicated that the size and crystallinity of HAp nanoparticles decrease with increase in PEG concentration in the composite. SEM confirmed the presence of HAp nanorod crystals in PEG matrix. The nano PEG-20/HAp demonstrated the highest antifungal and antibacterial activity and favorable inhibition of human cell hemolysis. The designed PEG/HAp nanocomposites constitute promising candidates for biomedical applications.