Thermoresponsive Brushes Facilitate Effective Reinforcement of Calcium Phosphate Cements

Journal Article (2019)
Authors

Daniela G. Petre (Radboud Universiteit Nijmegen)

Robin Nadar (Radboud Universiteit Nijmegen)

Yingfeng Tu (Southern Medical University, Radboud Universiteit Nijmegen)

A. Paknahad (TU Delft - Applied Mechanics, Radboud Universiteit Nijmegen)

Daniela A. Wilson (Radboud Universiteit Nijmegen, Southern Medical University)

Sander C.G. Leeuwenburgh (Radboud Universiteit Nijmegen)

Research Group
Applied Mechanics
Copyright
© 2019 Daniela Geta Petre, Robin Nadar, Yingfeng Tu, A. Paknahad, Daniela A. Wilson, Sander C.G. Leeuwenburgh
To reference this document use:
https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.9b08311
More Info
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Publication Year
2019
Language
English
Copyright
© 2019 Daniela Geta Petre, Robin Nadar, Yingfeng Tu, A. Paknahad, Daniela A. Wilson, Sander C.G. Leeuwenburgh
Research Group
Applied Mechanics
Issue number
30
Volume number
11
Pages (from-to)
26690-26703
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.9b08311
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Abstract

Calcium phosphate ceramics are frequently applied to stimulate regeneration of bone in view of their excellent biological compatibility with bone tissue. Unfortunately, these bioceramics are also highly brittle. To improve their toughness, fibers can be incorporated as the reinforcing component for the calcium phosphate cements. Herein, we functionalize the surface of poly(vinyl alcohol) fibers with thermoresponsive poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) brushes of tunable thickness to improve simultaneously fiber dispersion and fiber-matrix affinity. These brushes shift from hydrophilic to hydrophobic behavior at temperatures above their lower critical solution temperature of 32 °C. This dual thermoresponsive shift favors fiber dispersion throughout the hydrophilic calcium phosphate cements (at 21 °C) and toughens these cements when reaching their hydrophobic state (at 37 °C). The reinforcement efficacy of these surface-modified fibers was almost double at 37 versus 21 °C, which confirms the strong potential of thermoresponsive fibers for reinforcement of calcium phosphate cements.