Design, preparation, characterization and biological investigation of Sodium Alginate/ Flourohydroxyapatite composite scaffold for bone tissue engineering application

Hydroxyapatite has been studied intensively as an alternative to bone due to its biocompatibility and the chemical composition of the bone mineral matrix. Despite the good biological properties of hydroxyapatite, this material has poor mechanical properties. Flourhydroxyapatite due to its higher thermal stability than hydroxyapatite, has better mechanical properties and its combination with with alginate as an composite scaffold, while improving its biological properties, can be used as a substitute for hydroxyapatite. In this study, flourohydroxyapatite was prepared using a co-precipitation method, and then Alginate- Flourohydroxyapatite composites with 40, 50 and 60 wt% flourohydroxyapatite were synthesized by freeze-drying technique. In order to characterize the scaffolds, MTT, ALP, FTIR, XRD, XRF, TG/DSC and compressive tests were used. Surface morphology, as well as the connection and growth of bone cells on the scaffold surface, were studied using SEM. Data analysis were performed using one-way ANOVA. The results showed that Alginate-60wt% flourhydroxyapatite composite scaffold has sutble and optimal conditions for bio-mechanical and biologiical properties. in comparison with two other scaffolds tha prepared in this study.