article · Scientific Reports
Calcium silicate ceramic is a useful bioceramic for biomedical purposes, but low mechanical strength and rapid biodegradation restrict its clinical use. To address this, titanium aluminium carbide MAX phase was incorporated alongside hydroxyapatite nanoparticles into calcium silicate using powder metallurgy. Tests in simulated body fluid for ten days demonstrated that these additions successfully regulated the rapid biodegradation of the ceramic. While the addition slightly decreased bioactivity, as seen by incomplete surface coverage of hydroxyapatite, it improved the material electrical and dielectric properties. The resulting nanocomposites exhibited porosities between 6 and 8 percent, matching the porosity range of compact bone. Mechanical performance was also substantially enhanced, achieving compressive strengths between 105 and 147 MPa.
Bone repair materials need to degrade at a manageable rate while remaining mechanically strong enough to support the body during healing. By reinforcing calcium silicate ceramic with a titanium aluminium carbide phase, this work provides a more durable composite that closely mimics human compact bone porosity and improves electrical properties linked to bone healing.
The material shows promise for orthopaedic and dental applications, serving potential end users such as medical device manufacturers and surgical implant developers. However, the work represents early-stage laboratory research evaluated only via in vitro simulated body fluid testing and benchtop mechanical characterisation, meaning substantial further biological validation and clinical testing will be required before real-world adoption.
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Calcium silicate ceramic is a promising bioceramic for various biomedical applications, but its high biodegradation rate and low strength restrict its clinical utility. As a result, the study devised an innovative solution to address these issues by utilizing the titanium aluminum carbide phase, potentially for the first time in biological applications, in conjugation with hydroxyapatite. Then, using powder metallurgy technology, they added these phases to calcium silicate to create nanocomposites. After soaking in simulated body fluid for ten days, the produced nanocomposites were assessed for bioactivity and biodegradability using scanning electron microscopy, inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy, and weight loss assays. Their electrical and dielectric properties were also measured before and after soaking in the simulated body fluid solution. Furthermore, the tribo-mechanical properties of all sintered samples were measured. Interestingly, adding 40% hydroxyapatite nanoparticles to calcium silicate reduced the porosity from 12 to 6%. However, adding five vol% of the titanium aluminum carbide phase to the same sample increased the porosity to 8%. Importantly, these recorded percentages of porosity were comparable to those of compact bone porosity, which range from 5 to 13%. The addition of hydroxyapatite and titanium aluminum carbide phase significantly improved the rapid biodegradation of calcium silicate, albeit with a slight decrease in its bioactive properties, as evidenced by the incomplete surface coverage of the samples with the hydroxyapatite layer in the scanning electron microscopy images. The electrical properties of the nanocomposites were better with the addition of hydroxyapatite and titanium aluminum carbide phase, which helped the bone heal faster. The addition of a titanium aluminum carbide phase significantly improved the mechanical properties of the resulting nanocomposites. For example, the calculated values for compressive strength of all examined samples were 131, 115, 105, 147, and 135 MPa. Based on the results, the prepared samples can be used in orthopaedic and dental applications.
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DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-74859-7
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