Synthetic strategy for the production of electrically polarized polyvinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene—co-polymer osseo-functionalized with hydroxyapatite scaffold

Abstract

The physiological mechanism of bone tissue regeneration is intricately organized and involves several cell types, intracellular, and extracellular molecular signaling networks. To overcome the drawbacks of autografts and allografts, a number of synthetically produced scaffolds have been manufactured by integrating ceramics, polymers, and their hybrid-composites. Considering the fact that natural bone is composed primarily of collagen and hydroxyapatite, ceramic-polymer composite materials seem to be the most viable alternative to bone implants. Here, in this experimental study, copolymer PVDF-TrFE has been amalgamated with HA ceramics to produce composite scaffolds as bone implants. In order to fabricate PVDF-TrFE-HA (polyvinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene—hydroxyapatite) composite scaffolds, solvent casting-particulate leaching technique was devised. Two scaffold specimens were produced, with different PVDF-TrFE and HA molar ratios (70:30 and 50:50), and then electrically polarized to observe the subsequent polarization impact on the tissue growth and the suppression of bacterial cell proliferation. Both the specimens underwent characterization to analyze their biocompatibility and bactericidal activities. The bacterial culture of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) bacteria on the composites was studied to understand the antibacterial characteristics. Moreover, MG63 cells cultured on these as-formed composites provided information about osteogenesis. Improved osteogenesis and antibacterial efficacy were observed on both the composites. However, the composite with 70 wt% PVDF-TrFE and 30 wt% HA showed a higher bactericidal effect as well as osteogenesis. It was found that PVDF-TrFE-HA-based biomaterials have the potential for bone tissue engineering applications.