Fabrication, Properties, and Biomedical Applications of Calcium-Containing Cellulose-Based Composites

Calcium-containing cellulose-based composites possess the advantages of high mechanical strength, excellent osteoconductivity, biocompatibility, biodegradation, and bioactivity, which represent a promising application system in the biomedical field. Calcium-containing cellulose-based composites have become the hotspot of study of various biomedical fields. In this mini-review article, the synthesis of calcium-containing cellulose-based composites is summarized via a variety of methods such as the biomimetic mineralization method, microwave method, co-precipitation method, hydrothermal method, freeze-drying method, mechanochemical reaction method, and ultrasound method. The development on the fabrication, properties, and applications of calcium-containing cellulose-based composites is highlighted. The as-existed problems and future developments of cellulose-based composites are provided. It is expected that calcium-containing cellulose-based composites are the ideal candidate for biomedical application.

Cellulose/vaterite nanocomposites: Sonochemical synthesis, characterization, and their application in protein adsorption

Vaterite is recognized as an important biomedical material owing to its features such as high specific surface area, high solubility, high dispersion, and small specific gravity. Herein, we report a facile and green sonochemical route to prepare vaterite nanospheres (assembled from rice-shaped nanoparticles) with average diameter of 206-246 nm by using cellulose as substrate. The important role of cellulose concentration on the phase of the products was systematically investigated, and the formation mechanism of vaterite was proposed. Moreover, the as-prepared cellulose/vaterite nanocomposites have a good cytocompatibility and a relatively high protein adsorption ability using hemoglobin as a model protein. These results indicate that the as-prepared cellulose/vaterite nanocomposites are promising for applications in biomedical fields, such as protein adsorption.

CaCO3 thin-film formation mediated by a synthetic protein-lysozyme coacervate

A thin film was formed through in vitro CaCO₃ crystallization in the presence of complex coacervates, which was expected to be planar and poorly crystalline CaCO₃ guided at the interface of two immiscible liquid phases upon complex coacervation.

Formation of porous calcite mesocrystals from CO2–H2O–Ca(OH)2 slurry in the presence of common domestic drinks

Simple method to synthesize porous calcite mesocrystals by aqueous carbonation of portlandite in presence of common domestic drinks.

Mesocrystals as a class of multifunctional materials

Mesocrystals that consist of crystallographically aligned individual building blocks and controlled level of porosity in between exhibit unique structures and multifunctional behavior.