In vitro evaluation for apatite-forming ability of cellulose-based nanocomposite scaffolds for bone tissue engineering.

Research on synthetic bioactive bone graft materials has significantly expanded in the past decade. In this study, the nanocomposite scaffold of semi-interpenetrating networks (semi-IPN) cellulose-graft-polyacrylamide/nano-hydroxyapatite was synthesized through free radical polymerization. The scaffolds were fabricated by the freeze-drying technique. The prepared semi-IPN nanocomposite scaffolds were characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. In addition, the mechanical properties (i.e., elastic modulus and compressive strength) of the scaffolds were investigated. The SEM images showed that the pores of the scaffolds were interconnected, and their sizes ranged from 120 μm to 190 μm. Under optimum conditions, the prepared scaffolds had a compressive strength of 4.80 MPa, an elastic modulus of 0.29 GPa and a value of 47.37% porosity. Furthermore, the apatite-forming ability of the scaffolds was determined using simulated body fluid (SBF) for 28 days. The results revealed that the new apatite particles could grow on the surface of the scaffolds after a 14-day immersion in SBF. Finally, this study suggests that the prepared semi-IPN nanocomposites that closely mimic the properties of bone tissue could be a promising scaffold for bone tissue engineering.