Combination of silica nanoparticles with hydroxyapatite reinforces poly (l-lactide acid) scaffolds without loss of bioactivity

Composite scaffolds of poly(l-lactide acid) and hydroxyapatite are of great interest in bone tissue engineering, but their mechanical properties are typically inferior to scaffolds of pure poly(l-lactide acid) due to agglomeration of the particles and weak interfacial component interaction. Fabrication strategies like double sonication of hydroxyapatite or increasing the amount of this inorganic filler do not effectively enhance the mechanical performance. In this study, poly(l-lactide acid) composites combining two types of fillers, mesoporous silica (SiO2) nanoparticles and hydroxyapatite, were developed to reinforce the poly(l-lactide acid) scaffold without any loss of bioactivity. A 5%…