Preparation and characterization of different micro/nano structures on the surface of bredigite scaffolds

Our plain-English summary of Preparation and characterization of different micro/nano structures on the surface of bredigite scaffolds, by C. Qin, D. Che, D. Liu, et al (Scientific Reports, 2023).

The study

• Authors: C. Qin, D. Che, D. Liu, Z. Zhang, Y. Feng
• Journal: Scientific Reports
• Published: 2023;13(1):9072
• Cited by: 5 articles, as counted by NIH iCite
• Read it: PubMed · Publisher · Free full text

Abstract

The preparation of controllable micro/nano structures on the surface of the bredigite scaffold is expected to exhibit the same support and osteoconductive capabilities as living bone. However, the hydrophobicity of the white calciμm silicate scaffold surface restricts the adhesion and spreading of osteoblasts. Furthermore, during the degradation process of the bredigite scaffold, the release of Ca2+ results in an alkaline environment around the scaffold, which inhibits the growth of osteoblasts. In this study, the three-dimensional geometry of the Primitive surface in the three-periodic minimal surface with an average curvature of 0 was used as the basis for the scaffold unit cell, and a white hydroxyapatite scaffold was fabricated via photopolymerization-based 3D printing. Nanoparticles, microparticles, and micro-sheet structures with thicknesses of 6 μm, 24 μm, and 42 μm, respectively, were prepared on the surface of the porous scaffold through a hydrothermal reaction. The results of the study indicate that the micro/nano surface did not affect the morphology and mineralization ability of the macroporous scaffold. However, the transition from hydrophobic to hydrophilic resulted in a rougher surface and an increase in compressive strength from 45 to 59-86 MPa, while the adhesion of the micro/nano structures enhanced the scaffold's ductility. In addition, after 8 days of degradation, the pH of the degradation solution decreased from 8.6 to around 7.6, which is more suitable for cell growth in the hμman body. However, there were issues of slow degradation and high P element concentration in the degradation solution for the microscale layer group during the degradation process, so the nanoparticle and microparticle group scaffolds could provide effective support and a suitable environment for bone tissue repair.

© 2023. The Author(s).

In plain English

This laboratory materials study did not involve asbestos, people or animals. The authors 3D-printed porous bone-repair scaffolds from bredigite, a calcium-magnesium-silicate ceramic. They then heated the scaffolds in ammonium dihydrogen phosphate solutions of 0.4, 0.5 and 0.6 mol/L to grow surface layers about 6, 24 and 42 μm thick, called the nanoparticle, microparticle and micro-sheet groups, and compared them with untreated control scaffolds. The coatings changed the surface from water-repelling to water-attracting: water contact angles fell from 100.9° on controls to 34.1°, 30.9° and 23.8°. Compressive strength rose from 45.65 MPa in controls to 59.49, 64.45 and 86.08 MPa. In simulated body fluid, controls had lost 12.19% of their weight by day 56, against 8.82%, 6.45% and 2.33% for the coated groups. After 8 days the fluid pH was 8.64 for controls and 7.64, 7.6 and 7.44 for the coated groups. Mineralization ability was comparable across all four groups. Phosphorus in the micro-sheet group's fluid reached 5.63 mg/L, above the normal body-fluid level. The authors concluded that the nanoparticle and microparticle scaffolds better suited osteochondral repair.

We wrote this plain-English summary from the full article with the help of AI, and a second AI model checked each sentence against the article. It is not the authors' wording; the abstract and the article are their own account.

What the study did and found

• Design: Laboratory (in vitro) materials experiment: fabrication and testing of 3D-printed ceramic bone scaffolds with different surface coatings
• Who was studied: No human or animal subjects. Bredigite (calcium-magnesium-silicate) bone scaffolds in four groups (untreated control, nanoparticle, microparticle, micro-sheet), tested in simulated body fluid for up to 8 weeks
• Exposure: No asbestos exposure was studied. The scaffolds were treated hydrothermally with ammonium dihydrogen phosphate solutions at 0.4, 0.5 and 0.6 mol/L, at 120 °C for 12 hours, to form surface micro/nano structures
• Main results:
  • Surface layers about 6 μm (nanoparticle group), 24 μm (microparticle group) and 42 μm (micro-sheet group) thick were formed
  • Average porosity fell from 50.61% in controls to 49.91%, 44.91% and 41.95% in the nanoparticle, microparticle and micro-sheet groups
  • Water contact angle was 100.9° on control scaffolds and 34.1°, 30.9° and 23.8° on groups 2, 3 and 4 (nanoparticle, microparticle, micro-sheet)
  • Compressive strength was 45.65 ± 3.12 MPa (control), 59.49 ± 2.37 MPa (nanoparticle), 64.45 ± 4.74 MPa (microparticle) and 86.08 ± 5.44 MPa (micro-sheet)
  • Weight loss by day 56 in simulated body fluid was 12.19% (control), 8.82% (nanoparticle), 6.45% (microparticle) and 2.33% (micro-sheet)
  • After 8 weeks of degradation, compressive strength fell to 21.67 ± 3.33 MPa in controls (a 53.53% decrease) and to 31.46, 34.15 and 54.77 MPa in the nanoparticle, microparticle and micro-sheet groups
  • After 8 days, the pH of the simulated body fluid reached 8.64 ± 0.06 for control scaffolds and was still rising
  • After 8 days, pH was 7.64 (nanoparticle), 7.6 (microparticle) and 7.44 (micro-sheet)
  • After 7 days, new hydroxyapatite formed on all four groups, and their mineralization abilities were comparable
  • After two weeks, phosphorus concentration in the micro-sheet group's degradation fluid reached 5.63 mg/L, above the normal body-fluid concentration
• The authors' conclusion: The authors concluded that the nanoparticle and microparticle group scaffolds were more in line with the needs of osteochondral repair, and that the micro/nano structured scaffolds provide a potential treatment method for osteochondral complex defects
• Limitations the authors state:
  • The authors noted that the XRD peaks were shifted about 1° from the standard card, possibly because the test surface and fixture plane were not level

Topics

The National Library of Medicine indexes this study under subjects our site covers: Tremolite.

Medical terms in this study, explained in our Lexicon: Silicate.

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• Preparation and characteristics of a calcium magnesium silicate (bredigite) bioactive ceramic — C. Wu, J. Chang, et al. (2005)
• The 3D-Printed Ordered Bredigite Scaffold Promotes Pro-Healing of Critical-Sized Bone Defects by Regulating Macrophage Polarization — Y. Xuan, L. Li, et al. (2023)
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