Side-chain structure of poly(methacrylic acid) and its zinc salts in the solid state as studied by high-resolution solid-state 13C NMR spectroscopy

Effect of preparation route on the degradation behavior and ion releasability of siloxane-poly(lactic acid)-vaterite hybrid nonwoven fabrics for guided bone regeneration

Two types of nonwoven fabric, consisting of siloxane-doped vaterite (SiV) and poly(lactic acid) (PLA), for guided bone regeneration (GBR) were prepared by an electrospinning. One of the fabrics, SiV-PLA(M), was derived from PLA mixed with the solution of SiV dispersed in chloroform. Another one, SiV-PLA(K), was derived from a composite prepared by kneading SiV and PLA while heating at 200°C. The SiV-PLA(K) fabric shows higher degradability in dilute NaOH aq. than the SiV-PLA(M) fabric. To improve the cellular compatibility of the fabric, the fibers were coated with hydroxyapatite (HA) by soaking in simulated body fluid. The HA-coated SiV-PLA(K) fabric showed the release of silicate ions; the amount was reduced by 1/5 to 1/8 compared with that of the HA-coated SiV-PLA(M) fabric, and the excessive release was controlled. The preparation route of kneading at 200°C led to formation of a fabric with degradation behavior and ion releasability effective for bone regeneration.

Preparation of poly(lactic acid) composites containing calcium carbonate (vaterite)

A new type of ceramic-polymer biomaterial having excellent apatite-forming ability in simulated body fluid was prepared by hot-pressing a mixture of poly(-L-lactic acid) (PLA) and calcium carbonate (vaterite). After PLA dissolved in methylene chloride was mixed with calcium carbonate consisting of vaterite, the mixture was dried completely and subsequently hot-pressed uniaxially under a pressure of 40 MPa at 180 degrees C. When 30 wt% vaterite was introduced, the modulus of elasticity was effectively improved by 3.5-6 GPa, which was about twice higher than the modulus of PLA. The composite showed no brittle fracture behavior and a comparably high bending strength of approximately 50 MPa. The composite containing 30 wt% vaterite formed a 5-15-microm-thick bonelike apatite layer on its surface after soaking in SBF at 37 degrees C even for 1-3d.