Fabrication of PGS/CaTiO3 Nano-Composite for Biomedical Application

Biodegradable elastomeric materials are gaining extensive attention in the field of soft tissue engineering. Poly (glycerol sebacate) (PGS) is a novel biocompatible elastomer in this scope. However this polymer has poor mechanical properties especially when the molar ratio of glycerol is higher than sebacic acid. Calcium Titanate (CaTiO3) is a biocompatible ceramic with some degrees of piezoelectricity, which is in favor of cell growth.  In this study; Calcium Titanate is synthesized at nano-scale by sol-gel method and dispersed into as-synthesized PGS pre-polymer in weight-ratio of 5:95 for CaTiO3 and PGS, respectively. This waxy material was cured to achieve the final product. The molar ratio of glycerol and sebacic acid for the synthesis of PGS was 1:0.8, respectively. X-ray diffraction (XRD) test confirms successful synthesis of CaTiO3 and the nano-scale of crystals are approved by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) Image. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy has revealed a chemical bond between the two phases after addition of ceramic into pre-polymer. Distribution of CaTiO3 nano-structures in the polymeric matrix is shown by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM).