Effect of Nanoceria Suspension Addition on the Physicochemical and Mechanical Properties of Hybrid Organic–Inorganic Hydroxyapatite Composite Scaffolds
Paraskevi Gkomoza,
Ioanna Kitsou,
Savvas Koltsakidis,
Dimitrios Tzetzis,
Andreas Karydis-Messinis,
Nikolaos Evangelos Zafeiropoulos,
Foteini Gerodimou,
Eleni Kollia,
Vasilis Valdramidis,
Athena Tsetsekou
Affiliations
Paraskevi Gkomoza
Laboratory of Metallurgy, School of Mining & Metallurgical Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, 9 Heroon, Polytechniou Ave., 15772 Zografos, Athens, Greece
Ioanna Kitsou
Laboratory of Metallurgy, School of Mining & Metallurgical Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, 9 Heroon, Polytechniou Ave., 15772 Zografos, Athens, Greece
Savvas Koltsakidis
Digital Manufacturing and Materials Characterization Laboratory, School of Science and Technology, International Hellenic University, 14th km Thessaloniki—N. Moudania, 57001 Thermi, Thessaloniki, Greece
Dimitrios Tzetzis
Digital Manufacturing and Materials Characterization Laboratory, School of Science and Technology, International Hellenic University, 14th km Thessaloniki—N. Moudania, 57001 Thermi, Thessaloniki, Greece
Andreas Karydis-Messinis
Department of Material Science and Engineering, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece
Nikolaos Evangelos Zafeiropoulos
Department of Material Science and Engineering, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece
Foteini Gerodimou
Laboratory of Food Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 15771 Zografos, Athens, Greece
Eleni Kollia
Laboratory of Food Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 15771 Zografos, Athens, Greece
Vasilis Valdramidis
Laboratory of Food Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 15771 Zografos, Athens, Greece
Athena Tsetsekou
Laboratory of Metallurgy, School of Mining & Metallurgical Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, 9 Heroon, Polytechniou Ave., 15772 Zografos, Athens, Greece
In the current study, the synthesis of hydroxyapatite-ceria (HAP-CeO2) scaffolds is attempted through a bioinspired chemical approach. The utilized colloidal CeO2 suspension presents antifungal activity against the Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus fumigatus species at concentrations higher than 86.1 ppm. Three different series of the composite HAP-CeO2 suspensions are produced, which are differentiated based on the precursor suspension to which the CeO2 suspension is added and by whether this addition takes place before or after the formation of the hydroxyapatite phase. Each of the series consists of three suspensions, in which the pure ceria weight reaches 4, 5, and 10% (by mass) of the produced hydroxyapatite, respectively. The characterization showed that the 2S series’s specimens present the greater alteration towards their viscoelastic properties. Furthermore, the 2S series’s sample with 4% CeO2 presents the best mechanical response. This is due to the growth of needle-like HAP crystals during lyophilization, which—when oriented perpendicular to the direction of stress application—enhance the resistance of the sample to deformation. The 2S series’s scaffolds had an average pore size equal to 100 μm and minimum open porosity 89.5% while simultaneously presented the lowest dissolution rate in phosphate buffered saline.
