Abstract:
Inorganic nanoparticles doped into polymer can improve osteogenesis through structural and biological cues. However, the composite implants may be unsatisfactory partly due to the high surface energy of nanoparticles contributing to aggregation and inhomogeneity, resulting in impaired properties. Here, poly(aryletherketone) bearing carboxyl groups (PAEK-COOH) is synthesized, and fabricated to composites with nanohydroxyapatite (nHA) via chemical binding. The composites can be formulated to homogeneous and stable bioinks in solution, and the bioinks are fabricated to porous scaffolds via low-temperature printing, avoiding high-temperature damage to chemical integrations and bioactive factors. The composite scaffolds present uniform distribution of elements on the surface and mechanical properties are well-matched with those of trabecular bone. The in vitro experiments show that the addition of nHA is conducive to promote cellular proliferation and induce osteogenic differentiation of cells. Therefore, this work develops a method to prepare uniform composites, and the composite scaffolds have the potential to be used in orthopedic applications.