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Bioceramics and Bioactive Glass-Based Materials

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A special issue of Journal of Functional Biomaterials (ISSN 2079-4983).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 August 2022) | Viewed by 38319

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Prof. Dr. Anişoara Cîmpean

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Guest Editor

Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Universitatea din Bucuresti, Bucuresti, Romania
Interests: biomaterials and biocompatibility; tissue engineering; stem cells and regenerative medicine; cell biology; clinical biochemistry
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Florin Miculescu

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Metallic Materials Science and Physical Metallurgy Department, Politehnica University of Bucharest, 060042 Bucharest, Romania
Interests: design and development of medical devices for bone reconstruction, synthesis, and preparation of calcium phosphates from natural sources; membrane materials; hybrid and composite materials
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The 21st century has brought tremendous interest in bioceramics. They possess several properties which recommend them for biomedical applications, the most important one being tissue-bonding bioactivity.

Bioactivity– the property of materials to bond with tissues in vivo – of calcium phosphate-based materials has been intensely researched in the last decade, both for calcium phosphate bioceramics, as well as calcium phosphate-containing bioglasses. These types of materials can easily bond with hard tissues and under certain conditions even with soft tissues. Therefore, their use in or as different types of scaffolds utilized for tissue engineering has been growing.

In this special issue we aim to collect high-quality research on the following topics related to bioceramics and bioglasses:

Synthesis and Preparation
High-Resolution Characterisation
In Vitro and In Vivo testing
Biomedical Applications
Tissue Engineering

It is our pleasure to invite all of you to submit your research to this special issue. Research Articles, Short Communications and Review Papers are welcome!

Prof. Anişoara Cîmpean
Prof. Florin Miculescu
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Journal of Functional Biomaterials is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

Biomimetic structures
bioceramics
bioglass
biocomposites
bone implants
dental
osteoconductive materials
tissue engineering

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Published Papers (9 papers)

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Research

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19 pages, 4860 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Influence of Ceramic Particles Size and Ratio on Surface—Volume Features of the Naturally Derived HA-Reinforced Filaments for Biomedical Applications

by Aura-Cătălina Mocanu, Florin Miculescu, Cătălina-Andreea Dascălu, Ștefan Ioan Voicu, Mădălina-Andreea Pandele, Robert-Cătălin Ciocoiu, Dan Batalu, Sorina Dondea, Valentina Mitran and Lucian-Toma Ciocan

J. Funct. Biomater. 2022, 13(4), 199; https://doi.org/10.3390/jfb13040199 - 21 Oct 2022

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2587

Abstract

The intersection of the bone tissue reconstruction and additive manufacturing fields promoted the advancement to a prerequisite and new feedstock resource for high-performance bone-like-scaffolds manufacturing. In this paper, the proposed strategy was directed toward the use of bovine-bone-derived hydroxyapatite (HA) for surface properties enhancement and mechanical features reinforcement of the poly(lactic acid) matrix for composite filaments extrusion. The involvement of completely naturally derived materials in the technological process was based on factors such as sustainability, low cost, and a facile and green synthesis route. After the HA isolation and extraction from bovine bones by thermal processing, milling, and sorting, two dependent parameters—the HA particles size (<40 μm, <100 μm, and >125 μm) and ratio (0–50% with increments of 10%)—were simultaneously modulated for the first time during the incorporation into the polymeric matrix. The resulting melt mixtures were divided for cast pellets and extruded filaments development. Based on the obtained samples, the study was further designed to examine several key features by complementary surface–volume characterization techniques. Hence, the scanning electron microscopy and micro-CT results for all specimens revealed a uniform and homogenous dispersion of HA particles and an adequate adhesion at the ceramic/polymer interface, without outline pores, sustained by the shape and surface features of the synthesized ceramic particles. Moreover, an enhanced wettability (contact angle in the ~70−21° range) and gradual mechanical takeover were indicated once the HA ratio increased, independent of the particles size, which confirmed the benefits and feasibility of evenly blending the natural ceramic/polymeric components. The results correlation led to the selection of optimal technological parameters for the synthesis of adequate composite filaments destined for future additive manufacturing and biomedical applications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioceramics and Bioactive Glass-Based Materials)

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26 pages, 7279 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Sr and Mg Doped Bi-Phasic Calcium Phosphate Macroporous Bone Graft Substitutes Fabricated by Robocasting: A Structural and Cytocompatibility Assessment

by Cristina Besleaga, Bo Nan, Adrian-Claudiu Popa, Liliana Marinela Balescu, Liviu Nedelcu, Ana Sofia Neto, Iuliana Pasuk, Lucia Leonat, Gianina Popescu-Pelin, José M. F. Ferreira and George E. Stan

J. Funct. Biomater. 2022, 13(3), 123; https://doi.org/10.3390/jfb13030123 - 23 Aug 2022

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2725

Abstract

Bi-phasic calcium phosphates (BCPs) are considered prominent candidate materials for the fabrication of bone graft substitutes. Currently, supplemental cation-doping is suggested as a powerful path to boost biofunctionality, however, there is still a lack of knowledge on the structural role of such substituents in BCPs, which in turn, could influence the intensity and extent of the biological effects. In this work, pure and Mg- and Sr-doped BCP scaffolds were fabricated by robocasting from hydrothermally synthesized powders, and then preliminarily tested in vitro and thoroughly investigated physically and chemically. Collectively, the osteoblast cell culture assays indicated that all types of BCP scaffolds (pure, Sr- or Sr–Mg-doped) delivered in vitro performances similar to the biological control, with emphasis on the Sr–Mg-doped ones. An important result was that double Mg–Sr doping obtained the ceramic with the highest β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP)/hydroxyapatite mass concentration ratio of ~1.8. Remarkably, Mg and Sr were found to be predominantly incorporated in the β-TCP lattice. These findings could be important for the future development of BCP-based bone graft substitutes since the higher dissolution rate of β-TCP enables an easier release of the therapeutic ions. This may pave the road toward medical devices with more predictable in vivo performance. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioceramics and Bioactive Glass-Based Materials)

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11 pages, 8011 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperEditor’s ChoiceArticle

3D Printing of Hierarchically Porous Lattice Structures Based on Åkermanite Glass Microspheres and Reactive Silicone Binder

by Arish Dasan, Jozef Kraxner, Luca Grigolato, Gianpaolo Savio, Hamada Elsayed, Dušan Galusek and Enrico Bernardo

J. Funct. Biomater. 2022, 13(1), 8; https://doi.org/10.3390/jfb13010008 - 13 Jan 2022

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 4210

Abstract

The present study illustrates the manufacturing method of hierarchically porous 3D scaffolds based on åkermanite as a promising bioceramic for stereolithography. The macroporosity was designed by implementing 3D models corresponding to different lattice structures (cubic, diamond, Kelvin, and Kagome). To obtain micro-scale porosity, flame synthesized glass microbeads with 10 wt% of silicone resins were utilized to fabricate green scaffolds, later converted into targeted bioceramic phase by firing at 1100 °C in air. No chemical reaction between the glass microspheres, crystallizing into åkermanite, and silica deriving from silicone oxidation was observed upon heat treatment. Silica acted as a binder between the adjacent microspheres, enhancing the creation of microporosity, as documented by XRD, and SEM coupled with EDX analysis. The formation of ‘spongy’ struts was confirmed by infiltration with Rhodamine B solution. The compressive strength of the sintered porous scaffolds was up to 0.7 MPa with the porosity of 68–84%. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioceramics and Bioactive Glass-Based Materials)

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15 pages, 3221 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Preparation and Characterization of Moldable Demineralized Bone Matrix/Calcium Sulfate Composite Bone Graft Materials

by I-Cheng Chen, Chen-Ying Su, Chun-Cheih Lai, Yi-Syue Tsou, Yudong Zheng and Hsu-Wei Fang

J. Funct. Biomater. 2021, 12(4), 56; https://doi.org/10.3390/jfb12040056 - 4 Oct 2021

Cited by 22 | Viewed by 6867

Abstract

Demineralized bone matrix (DBM) is a decalcified allo/xenograft retaining collagen and noncollagenous proteins, which has been extensively used because of its osteoconductive and osteoinductive properties. Calcium sulfate (CaSO₄, CS) is a synthetic bone substitute used in bone healing with biocompatible, nontoxic, bioabsorbable, osteoconductive, and good mechanical characteristics. This study aims to prepare a DBM/CS composite bone graft material in a moldable putty form without compromising the peculiar properties of DBM and CS. For this purpose, firstly, porcine femur was defatted using chloroform/methanol and extracted by acid for demineralization, then freeze-dried and milled/sieved to obtain DBM powder. Secondly, the α-form and β-form of calcium sulfate hemihydrate (CaSO₄·0.5H₂O, CSH) were produced by heating gypsum (CaSO₄·2H₂O). The morphology and particle sizes of α- and β-CSH were obtained by SEM, and their chemical properties were confirmed by EDS, FTIR and XRD. Furthermore, the DBM-based graft was mixed with α- or β-CSH at a ratio of 9:1, and glycerol/4% HPMC was added as a carrier to produce a putty. DBM/CSH putty possesses a low washout rate, good mechanical strength and biocompatibility. In conclusion, we believe that the moldable DBM/CSH composite putty developed in this study could be a promising substitute for the currently available bone grafts, and might have practical application in the orthopedics field as a potential bone void filler. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioceramics and Bioactive Glass-Based Materials)

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15 pages, 5005 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Preliminary Studies on Graphene-Reinforced 3D Products Obtained by the One-Stage Sacrificial Template Method for Bone Reconstruction Applications

by Aura-Cătălina Mocanu, Florin Miculescu, George E. Stan, Robert-Cătălin Ciocoiu, Mihai Cosmin Corobea, Marian Miculescu and Lucian Toma Ciocan

J. Funct. Biomater. 2021, 12(1), 13; https://doi.org/10.3390/jfb12010013 - 12 Feb 2021

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3726

Abstract

The bone remodeling field has shifted focus towards the delineation of products with two main critical attributes: internal architectures capable to promote fast cell colonization and good mechanical performance. In this paper, Luffa-fibers and graphene nanoplatelets were proposed as porogen template and mechanical reinforcing agent, respectively, in view of framing 3D products by a one-stage polymer-free process. The ceramic matrix was prepared through a reproducible technology, developed for the conversion of marble resources into calcium phosphates (CaP) powders. After the graphene incorporation (by mechanical and ultrasonication mixing) into the CaP matrix, and Luffa-fibers addition, the samples were evaluated in both as-admixed and thermally-treated form (compact/porous products) by complementary structural, morphological, and compositional techniques. The results confirmed the benefits of the two agents’ addition upon the compact products’ micro-porosity and the global mechanical features, inferred by compressive strength and elastic modulus determinations. For the porous products, overall optimal results were obtained at a graphene amount of <1 wt.%. Further, no influence of graphene on fibers’ ability to generate at high temperatures internal interconnected-channels-arrays was depicted. Moreover, its incorporation led to a general preservation of structural composition and stability for both the as-admixed and thermally-treated products. The developed CaP-reinforced structures sustain the premises for prospective non- and load-bearing biomedical applications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioceramics and Bioactive Glass-Based Materials)

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10 pages, 2609 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Considerations and Influencing Parameters in EDS Microanalysis of Biogenic Hydroxyapatite

by Florin Miculescu, Cristina Luță, Andreea Elena Constantinescu, Andreea Maidaniuc, Aura-Cătălina Mocanu, Marian Miculescu, Ștefan Ioan Voicu and Lucian Toma Ciocan

J. Funct. Biomater. 2020, 11(4), 82; https://doi.org/10.3390/jfb11040082 - 15 Nov 2020

Cited by 26 | Viewed by 3976

Abstract

Calcium phosphates (CPs) used as biomaterials have been intensively studied in recent years. In most studies, the determination of the chemical composition is mandatory. Due to the versatility and possibilities of performing qualitative and quantitative compositional analyses, energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS) is a widely used technique in this regard. The range of calcium phosphates is very diverse, the first method of approximating the type of compound being EDS microanalysis, by assessing the atomic Ca/P ratio. The value of this ratio can be influenced by several factors correlated with instrumental parameters and analysed samples. This article highlights the influence of the electron beam acceleration voltage (1 kV–30 kV) and of the particle size of calcium phosphate powders on the EDS analysis results. The characterised powders were obtained from bovine bones heat-treated at 1200 °C for 2 h, which have been ground and granulometrically sorted by mechanical vibration. The granulometric sorting generated three types of samples, with particle sizes < 20 μm, < 40 μm and < 100 μm, respectively. These were morphologically and dimensionally analysed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and compositionally by EDS, after the spectrometer was calibrated with a standard reference material (SRM) from NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology). The results showed that the adjusting of acceleration voltage and of the powder particle size significantly influences the spectrum profile and the results of EDS analyses, which can lead to an erroneous primary identification of the analysed calcium phosphate type. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioceramics and Bioactive Glass-Based Materials)

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20 pages, 4923 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Hierarchical Surface Texturing of Hydroxyapatite Ceramics: Influence on the Adhesive Bonding Strength of Polymeric Polycaprolactone

by Jonas Biggemann, Philipp Müller, David Köllner, Swantje Simon, Patrizia Hoffmann, Paula Heik, Jung Heon Lee and Tobias Fey

J. Funct. Biomater. 2020, 11(4), 73; https://doi.org/10.3390/jfb11040073 - 3 Oct 2020

Cited by 19 | Viewed by 4224

Abstract

The tailored manipulation of ceramic surfaces gained recent interest to optimize the performance and lifetime of composite materials used as implants. In this work, a hierarchical surface texturing of hydroxyapatite (HAp) ceramics was developed to improve the poor adhesive bonding strength in hydroxyapatite and polycaprolactone (HAp/PCL) composites. Four different types of periodic surface morphologies (grooves, cylindric pits, linear waves and Gaussian hills) were realized by a ceramic micro-transfer molding technique in the submillimeter range. A subsequent surface roughening and functionalization on a micron to nanometer scale was obtained by two different etchings with hydrochloric and tartaric acid. An ensuing silane coupling with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) enhanced the chemical adhesion between the HAp surface and PCL on the nanometer scale by the formation of dipole–dipole interactions and covalent bonds. The adhesive bonding strengths of the individual and combined surface texturings were investigated by performing single-lap compressive shear tests. All individual texturing types (macro, micro and nano) showed significantly improved HAp/PCL interface strengths compared to the non-textured HAp reference, based on an enhanced mechanical, physical and chemical adhesion. The independent effect mechanisms allow the deliberately hierarchical combination of all texturing types without negative influences. The hierarchical surface-textured HAp showed a 6.5 times higher adhesive bonding strength (7.7 ± 1.5 MPa) than the non-textured reference, proving that surface texturing is an attractive method to optimize the component adhesion in composites for potential medical implants. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioceramics and Bioactive Glass-Based Materials)

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13 pages, 3637 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Sol-Gel Derived Tertiary Bioactive Glass–Ceramic Nanorods Prepared via Hydrothermal Process and Their Composites with Poly(Vinylpyrrolidone-Co-Vinylsilane)

by Dibakar Mondal, Andrei Zaharia, Kibret Mequanint and Amin S. Rizkalla

J. Funct. Biomater. 2020, 11(2), 35; https://doi.org/10.3390/jfb11020035 - 1 Jun 2020

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 4033

Abstract

Bioactive glass (BG) nanoparticles have wide applications in bone repair due to their bone-bonding and biodegradable nature. In this work, nanometric rod-shaped ternary SiO₂-CaO-P₂O₅ bioactive glass particles were prepared through sol-gel chemistry followed by a base-induced hydrothermal process at 130 °C and 170 °C for various times up to 36 h. This facile, low-temperature and surfactant-free hydrothermal process has shown to be capable of producing uniform nanorods and nanowires. One-dimensional growth of nanorods and the characteristics of siloxane bridging networks were dependent on the hydrothermal temperature and time. Hardened bioactive composites were prepared from BG nanorods and cryo-milled poly(vinylpyrrolidone-co-triethoxyvinylsilane) in the presence of ammonium phosphate as potential bone graft biomaterials. Covalent crosslinking has been observed between the organic and inorganic components within these composites. The ultimate compressive strength and modulus values increased with increasing co-polymer content, reaching 27 MPa and 500 MPa respectively with 30% co-polymer incorporation. The materials degraded in a controlled non-linear manner when incubated in phosphate-buffered saline from 6 h to 14 days. Fibroblast cell attachment and spreading on the composite were not as good as the positive control surfaces and suggested that they may require protein coating in order to promote favorable cell interactions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioceramics and Bioactive Glass-Based Materials)

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Review

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27 pages, 3136 KiB

Open AccessReview

Li-Doped Bioactive Ceramics: Promising Biomaterials for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine

by Ahmad Reza Farmani, Mohammad Ali Salmeh, Zahra Golkar, Alaa Moeinzadeh, Farzaneh Farid Ghiasi, Sara Zamani Amirabad, Mohammad Hasan Shoormeij, Forough Mahdavinezhad, Simin Momeni, Fatemeh Moradbeygi, Jafar Ai, John G. Hardy and Amir Mostafaei

J. Funct. Biomater. 2022, 13(4), 162; https://doi.org/10.3390/jfb13040162 - 24 Sep 2022

Cited by 16 | Viewed by 4424

Abstract

Lithium (Li) is a metal with critical therapeutic properties ranging from the treatment of bipolar depression to antibacterial, anticancer, antiviral and pro-regenerative effects. This element can be incorporated into the structure of various biomaterials through the inclusion of Li chloride/carbonate into polymeric matrices or being doped in bioceramics. The biocompatibility and multifunctionality of Li-doped bioceramics present many opportunities for biomedical researchers and clinicians. Li-doped bioceramics (capable of immunomodulation) have been used extensively for bone and tooth regeneration, and they have great potential for cartilage/nerve regeneration, osteochondral repair, and wound healing. The synergistic effect of Li in combination with other anticancer drugs as well as the anticancer properties of Li underline the rationale that bioceramics doped with Li may be impactful in cancer treatments. The role of Li in autophagy may explain its impact in regenerative, antiviral, and anticancer research. The combination of Li-doped bioceramics with polymers can provide new biomaterials with suitable flexibility, especially as bio-ink used in 3D printing for clinical applications of tissue engineering. Such Li-doped biomaterials have significant clinical potential in the foreseeable future. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioceramics and Bioactive Glass-Based Materials)

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