Biocompatibility Assessment of TiO2-CaO-ZrO2/HDPE Hybrid Bio-Nanocomposites Used in Bone-Tissue Engineering Scaffolds

Abstract

Orthopedic accidents and associated pathologies are a critical global public health issue, as well as a first-rate international burden of incapacity and suffering individuals. Certain injuries and fractures in bone tissue can be complex and lead to residual deformation, necessitating bone replacement. We made new bio-nano composite bone scaffolds in this study by adding nanosized fillers—eight mol% CaO-ZrO2 (partially stabilized zirconia) and TiO2 (titanium dioxide) to an HDPE (high-density polyethylene) polymeric matrix. We employed the hot-pressing technique to shape the specimens at a compression stress of 29 MPa, a compounding temperature of 150 °C, and a compounding time of 15 minutes. The primary goal is to identify appropriate biocompatibility properties for the nanocomposite TiO2-CaO-ZrO2/HDPE, which could potentially serve as bone replacement materials in bone tissue engineering. We utilized the bioactivity tests to explore and identify biocomposites. To assess the bioactivity and bioavailability of clearly going-on hydroxyapatite, we immersed the specimens in simulated body fluid SBF for various intervals (1, 5, 10) days. Discipline emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses revealed that every specimen exhibited extremely good bioactivity and formed appetite layers on the sample's surface after immersion in SBF, supporting particle site osteointegration.