Biomimetic hydroxyapatite (HAP)/ Carboxymethyl Cellulose (CMC) composite materials for bone tissue engineering applications

Natural bone is a complex material with a well-designed architecture. To achieve successful bone integration and regeneration, the constituents and structure of bone-repairing scaffolds need to be flexible and biocompatible. Hydroxyapatite (HAp), the main constituent of bone minerals, has excellent biocompatibility, while carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), comprised of a three-dimensional network, has high flexibility. Therefore, CMC/HAp composites have attracted attention for the advancement of bone tissue engineering. In this work, a carboxymethyl cellulose/hydroxyapatite (Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2; HAp) composite has been developed as a three dimensional scaffold for bone tissue engineering. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that the CMC/Hap composite had a sheet like structure. These results revealed that the amount of precipitated HAp in the CMC/HAp composites was affected by the amount of CMC used during preparation. Properties of composites can be improved at optimal filler content compared to the pure Hap in the perspective of various biomedical applications. We have characterized the surface morphology of the composite using SEM image and having with the observed well dispersion of Hap in the Cmc phase.