Exploring the functional abilities of PVA–combeite composites as potential candidates for bone substitutes

Abstract

The field of biomaterials continually seeks novel materials to meet the requirements of bone tissue engineering. This manuscript explores polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)–combeite composites. The composites were characterized using X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. Notably, the X-ray diffraction patterns unveil a combination of amorphous and crystalline regions attributed to PVA and combeite, respectively. More importantly, PVA–combeite composites exhibit reduced swelling and degradation rates compared to pure PVA. The percentage swelling and degradation values (%) for the prepared materials fall within the range of 190–340 and 55–75, respectively. The spherical apatite structures formed post the immersion in Hanks’ Balanced Salt Solution indicate that these materials could be used in the field of bone tissue engineering.