In Vitro Characterization of Hydroxyapatite-Based Coatings Doped with Mg or Zn Electrochemically Deposited on Nanostructured Titanium

Biomaterials are an important and integrated part of modern medicine, and their development and improvement are essential. The fundamental requirement of a biomaterial is found to be in its interaction with the surrounding environment, with which it must coexist. The aim of this study was to assess the biological characteristics of hydroxyapatite (HAp)-based coatings doped with Mg and Zn ions obtained by the pulsed galvanostatic electrochemical method on the surface of pure titanium (cp-Ti) functionalized with titanium dioxide nanotubes (NTs TiO2) obtained by anodic oxidation. The obtained results highlighted that the addition of Zn or Mg into the HAp structure enhances the in vitro response of the cp-Ti surface functionalized with NT TiO2. The contact angle and surface free energy showed that all the developed surfaces have a hydrophilic character in comparison with the cp-Ti surface. The HAp-based coatings doped with Zn registered superior values than the ones with Mg, in terms of biomineralization, electrochemical behavior, and cell interaction. Overall, it can be said that the addition of Mg or Zn can enhance the in vitro behavior of the HAp-based coatings in accordance with clinical requirements. Antibacterial tests showed that the proposed HAp-Mg coatings had no efficiency against Escherichia coli, while the HAp-Zn coatings registered the highest antibacterial efficiency.

Fabrication and Characterisation of Calcium Sulphate Hemihydrate Enhanced with Zn- or B-Doped Hydroxyapatite Nanoparticles for Hard Tissue Restoration

A composite based on calcium sulphate hemihydrate enhanced with Zn- or B-doped hydroxyapatite nanoparticles was fabricated and evaluated for bone graft applications. The investigations of their structural and morphological properties were performed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy techniques. To study the bioactive properties of the obtained composites, soaking tests in simulated body fluid (SBF) were performed. The results showed that the addition of 2% Zn results in an increase of 2.27% in crystallinity, while the addition of boron causes an increase of 5.61% compared to the undoped HAp sample. The crystallite size was found to be 10.69 ± 1.59 nm for HAp@B, and in the case of HAp@Zn, the size reaches 16.63 ± 1.83 nm, compared to HAp, whose crystallite size value was 19.44 ± 3.13 nm. The mechanical resistance of the samples doped with zinc was the highest and decreased by about 6% after immersion in SBF. Mixing HAp nanoparticles with gypsum improved cell viability compared to HAp for all concentrations (except for 200 µg/mL). Cell density decreased with increasing nanoparticle concentration, compared to gypsum, where the cell density was not significantly affected. The degree of cellular differentiation of osteoblast-type cells was more accentuated in the case of samples treated with G+HAp@B nanoparticles compared to HAp@B. Cell viability in these samples decreased inversely proportionally to the concentration of administered nanoparticles. From the point of view of cell density, this confirmed the quantitative data.

Influence of Terbium Ions and Their Concentration on the Photoluminescence Properties of Hydroxyapatite for Biomedical Applications

A new generation of biomaterials with terbium-doped hydroxyapatite was obtained using a coprecipitation method. The synthesis of new materials with luminescent properties represents a challenging but important contribution due to their potential applications in biomedical science. The main objective of this study was to revel the influence of terbium ions on the design and structure of hydroxyapatite. Different concentrations of terbium, described by the chemical formula Ca_10−xTb_x(PO₄)₆(OH)₂, where x is in the range of 0 to 1, were considered. The consequence of ion concentration on hydroxyapatite morphology was also investigated. The morphology and structure, as well as the optical properties, of the obtained nanomaterials were characterized using X-ray powder diffraction analysis (XRD), Fourier Transform Infrared spectrometry (FTIR), SEM and TEM microscopy, UV-Vis and photoluminescence spectroscopies. The measurements revealed that terbium ions were integrated into the structure of hydroxyapatite within certain compositional limits. The biocompatibility and cytotoxicity of the obtained powders evaluated using MTT assay, oxidative stress assessment and fluorescent microscopy revealed the ability of the synthesized nanomaterials to be used for biological system imaging.

Niobium-Doped Hydroxyapatite Bioceramics: Synthesis, Characterization and In Vitro Cytocompatibility

Doping calcium phosphates with ionic species can play an important role in biological responses promoting alkaline phosphatase activity, and, therefore inducing the generation of new bone. Thus, in this study, the synthesis of niobium-doped hydroxyapatite (Nb-HA) nanosize particles obtained by the precipitation process in aqueous media followed by thermal treatment is presented. The bioceramics were extensively characterized by X-ray diffraction, wavelength dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy analysis, transmission electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy and thermal analysis regarding their chemical composition, structure and morphology. The results showed that the precipitate dried at 110 °C was composed of amorphous calcium phosphate and HA, with polidisperse particles ranging from micro to nano dimensions. After the thermal treatment at 900 °C, the bioceramic system evolved predominantly to HA crystalline phase, with evident features of particle sintering and reduction of surface area. Moreover, the addition of 10 mol% of niobium salt precursor during the synthesis indicated the complete incorporation of the Nb(V) species in the HA crystals with detectable changes in the original lattice parameters. Furthermore, the incorporation of Nb ions caused a significant refinement on the average particle size of HA. Finally, the preliminary cytocompatibility response of the biomaterials was accessed by human osteoblast cell culture using MTT and resazurin assays, which demonstrated no cytotoxicity of the Nb-alloyed hydroxyapatite. Thus, these findings seem promising for developing innovative Nb-doped calcium phosphates as artificial biomaterials for potential use in bone replacements and repair.