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Investigating the effects of surface-initiated polymerization of ε-caprolactone to bioactive glass particles on the mechanical properties of settable polymer/ceramic composites

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Abstract

Injectable bone grafts with strength exceeding that of trabecular bone could improve the clinical management of a number of orthopedic conditions. Ceramic/polymer composites have been investigated as weight-bearing bone grafts, but they are typically weaker than trabecular bone due to poor interfacial bonding. We hypothesized that entrapment of surface-initiated poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) chains on 45S5 bioactive glass (BG) particles within an in situ-formed polymer network would enhance the mechanical properties of reactive BG/polymer composites. When the surface-initiated PCL molecular weight exceeded the molecular weight between crosslinks of the network, the compressive strength of the composites increased 6- to 10-fold. The torsional strength of the composites exceeded that of human trabecular bone by a factor of two. When injected into femoral condyle defects in rats, the composites supported new bone formation at 8 weeks. The initial bone-like strength of BG/polymer composites and their ability to remodel in vivo highlight their potential for development as injectable grafts for repair of weight-bearing bone defects.

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under (Grant No. 0847711) (CAREER award to S.A. Guelcher) and the National Institutes of Health through the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases under Award Number AR064304 (S.A. Guelcher and J. C. Wenke). The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health. A.J. Harmata acknowledges financial support from an Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education Fellowship funded by the U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37235, USA

    Andrew J. Harmata, Katarzyna J. Zienkiewicz & Scott A. Guelcher

  2. Center for Bone Biology, Vanderbilt Medical Center, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA

    Andrew J. Harmata & Scott A. Guelcher

  3. Orthopaedic Task Area, U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research, San Antonio, TX, 78234, USA

    Catherine L. Ward & Joseph C. Wenke

  4. Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37235, USA

    Scott A. Guelcher

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  1. Andrew J. Harmata
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  2. Catherine L. Ward
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  3. Katarzyna J. Zienkiewicz
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  4. Joseph C. Wenke
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  5. Scott A. Guelcher
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Correspondence to Scott A. Guelcher.

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This paper has been selected as an Invited Feature Paper.

Disclosure

S.A. Guelcher is a consultant for Medtronic, Inc. Medtronic supplied some of the raw materials used to fabricate the composites and has supported research in Guelcher’s laboratory at Vanderbilt University.

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Harmata, A.J., Ward, C.L., Zienkiewicz, K.J. et al. Investigating the effects of surface-initiated polymerization of ε-caprolactone to bioactive glass particles on the mechanical properties of settable polymer/ceramic composites. Journal of Materials Research 29, 2398–2407 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1557/jmr.2014.254

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