Changes of structure and properties of PMMA-based bone cements with hydroxyapatite after degradation process
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Engineering of Biomaterials 2019;(151):9-16
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ABSTRACT
PMMA-based bone cements are commonly used for implant fixation or as bone void fillers. Hydroxyapatite added as a filler to bone cement may positively affect the final properties of the material, in particular its biological properties. In this study, the preparation of poly(methyl methacrylate)-based bone cements with incorporated hydroxyapatite (HAp) is reported. The purpose of this article is to examine the properties of bone cements enriched with HAp filler (the concentration of 3wt% and 6wt%) and reveal the changes in the composites properties (chemical structure, surface morphology and distribution of HAp in the composite matrix, moisture absorption, hardness in Shore D scale) during the long-term incubation in the PBS (phosphate-buffered saline) solution at 37°C. The incubation lasted up to 21 days, but only the period when the changes actually occurred was analysed. The studies have shown that the samples containing HAp absorb more moisture and have
a lower hardness. These characteristics vary depending on the concentration of HAp. There is no elution of HAp and ZrO2 from the composite during the incubation. The surface morphology and chemical structure do not change during long-term studies. The obtained bone cements are characterized by high stability in the PBS solution.