A Comparative Study of Gelatin/HPMC/HA and Gel/HPMC/TCP Nanocomposites for Bone Tissue Regeneration

Calcium phosphates (CaPs) based polymeric blends have been widely explored for bone tissue regeneration applications due to their good mechanical strength and excellent osteogenic properties. These composites support the natural regeneration process by providing appropriate sites for cell attachment, vascularization, and growth. Here, in this work, we report the synthesis of a polymeric composite of gelatin/HPMC (hydroxypropylmethylcellulose) containing hydroxyapatite (HA) and tricalcium phosphate (TCP) filler using a facile solvent casting method. The prepared composite was characterized using x-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and non-contact optical profilometer. The obtained results confirm the successful crosslinking of polymeric blends and uniform dispersion of fillers in the polymer matrix. There was a significant increase in mechanical strength, surface hydrophilicity, and roughness with the addition of HA and TCP filler. The scanning electron microscopy images confirm an increase in surface roughness with the increase in HA/TCP concentration. Hence, the increase in surface hydrophilicity, water uptake ability, mechanical strength and surface roughness suggests that this polymeric blend can contribute to the development of new bone grafting materials.