Investigation of the <i>In Vitro</i> Degradation of a Novel Polylactide/Nanohydroxyapatite Composite for Artificial Bone

Abstract

We prepared the poly‐L‐lactic acid (PLLA)/nanohydroxyapatite (n‐HA) composite and investigated the in vitro degradation of pure PLLA material and PLLA/n‐HA composites in order to identify a suitable and ideal artificial bone tissue repair material. The water uptake, weight loss, and changes in the PBS pH value and in the mechanical properties of material were measured during the processes that PLLA and PLLA/n‐HA biological composites were degraded in PBS. We also performed electron microscopic scanning of the material fracture surface and observed the microscopic morphologies of materials during the degradation process. We found that the degradation rate of the PLLA/n‐HA material was slower than the PLLA material, and there was a little degradation of the PLLA/n‐HA material at early stages. The PLLA/n‐HA material also maintained the initial mechanical strength better than the pure PLLA material. The PLLA/n‐HA material is thus a better material for artificial bone than the pure PLLA material.