Advanced Materials Research Vols. 105-106

Abstract: Silk fibers were introduced into hydroxyapatite(HA)/chitosan(CS) matrix to prepare scaffold materials of bone tissue engineering with the adequate initial strength and improved cellular affinity using combination of in situ synthesis and freeze-drying technique. Chemical component was investigated using X rays diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared spectrum (FTIR). Structure and morphology of the composites were observed by scanning electron microscope (SEM). Porosity was tested by liquid substitution method. The mechanical properties of the composites were also measured. The simulated body fluid (SBF) and the cell culture experiments were conducted to assess biological properties of the composites. Results show that the composites with a pore size of 100~250μm have a porosity of 75%~90%and the maximum compressive strength of 5.7 MPa. The compressive strength of the composite is greatly improved in comparison with that of HA/CS matrix (4.6 MPa). In the SBF tests, a layer of randomly oriented apatite crystals form on the scaffold surface after sample immersion in SBF. The cell culture experiments show that the osteoblast cells are attached and proliferated on the surface of the composite, which suggests good bioactivity and cellular compatibility of the composite material. It is concluded that the composites have a promising prospect as bone tissue engineering materials.

Abstract: Chinese medicine Drynariae Rhizoma extract (DR) was introduced into porcine bone hydroxyapatite (PBHA) and chitosan (CS) for the preparation of scaffold by the Vacuum freeze drying method in order to accelerate bone growth and weak bone adhesion in the early healing stage of scaffold. The microscopic morphology and composition of the scaffolds were analyzed by SEM, XRD and IR. Compressive strength of the scaffold and the porosity was tested. Biological activity of the scaffolds was studied by immersed in Simulated Body Fluid (SBF). The scaffolds were a high porosity of 80% and compressive strength of 1.2MPa. Carbonate containing bone-like HA was formed on the surface of the scaffold after immersion in SBF, showing that the scaffold materials have good bone-like apatite forming ability. The scaffolds of DR -PBHA- CS have good physical and chemical properties, good biological activity and low price.

Abstract: Calcium phosphate biocoatings were fabricated on the surface of magnesium alloy by micro-arc oxidation (MAO) technique. The properties of biocoatings related with MAO technics parameters and the electrolyte constitute. The surface morphology, constitute and friction coefficient were studied by SEM XRD and fret test machine. The results indicated that the optimum electrolyte was CaCO3-Na3PO4 contained 20g/L phosphate ions and 1.5 Ca/P ratio, and the optimum technics parameters was 350V oxidation voltage for10min, 500HZ pulse frequency and 1:10 in duty cycle. The main phase constitutes of the porous biocoatings contained were Mg, MgO, Mg3(PO4)2 and CaNaPO4. The anode polarization potential of the coating was -1.36V and enhanced about 0.29V compared with that of magnesium alloy substrate, which indicated that the biocoatings had better corrosion resistant properties. The friction coefficient of the biocoatings was 0.23 and decreased 0.15 compared with that of magnesium alloy substrate, which indicated that the biocoatings had better wear resistant properties. The biocoatings could induce hydroxyapatite to form on its surface after soaked in body fluid, which showed that the composite coatings owned good bioactivity.

Abstract: Nanobacteria is a tiny structure with size varying 80 to 500nm, commonly occurring in clusters and producing a biofilm which contains carbonate or hydroxyl apatite. In this study, the bioactive synthetic hydrogel materials were prepared with polyethylene glycol diacrylate (PEGDA) and 2-hydroxyethyl mathacrylate (HEMA) by UV photo-polymerization. Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) were seeded onto hydrogel surface for five days. The BMSCs cell adhesion on hydrogels was confirmed by SEM to evaluate the biocompatibility of the materials. It was found groups of nanoparticles on the hydrogel surface and the particles were analyzed by SEM. The particles were analyzed for its inorganic chemical constituents using energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis (EDS). The predominant components were found to be calcium (24.40%) and phosphorus (13.98%). The most likely source of cell culture contamination by such organisms is bovine serum albumin (BSA) used as supplement in culture media. Nanobacteria in BSA may be the important factor which accelerated hydroxyapatite crystal growth on hydrogels. It is important to study the biomineralization in biological system and has potential application in biomaterials science and biotechnology.

Abstract: In the acidic oral environments containing fluoride ions, hydrofluoric acid (HF) would form and affect the color of Titanium porcelain crown, but there is a lack of information on how color is affected by this oral fluid. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of various artificial saliva simulating oral environments in the presence of fluoride ions with different pH value on the color of self-made dental opaque, body porcelain, belonging to the Na2O-K2O–MgO–CaO–Al2O3–SiO2 glass system. Disc-shaped specimens, 5 mm diameter and a 2-mm thickness, were made by firing. Specimens were immersed in artificial saliva in the presence of fluoride ions with different pH value for 7, 14, 21 days, and then the color of the specimens was compared with the color of the initial specimen. The interactions were present in L*a*b* values between pH value and the day of immersion. The changes in L*a*b* color data as the day of immersion and pH value increased were revealed, which can resulted in perceptual color changes in L*a*b* color parameters.

Abstract: The aim of this study is to describe the remineralization effect of the nano-HA on artificial caries. The artificial dental caries are made by using sour solution, and constructing an artificial mouth' plaque culture system in vitro respectively. The scanning electron microscope (SEM) and the optical microscope are used to observe the surface of enamel specimens. The effect of remineralization is assessed with the polarized light microscopy (PLM) and the confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM) by measuring three lesion parameters (area, total and average fluorescence). The SEM analysis shows that the cavities and defects of enamel surface are decreased and many mineral salts are sedimentated, which indicate that the nano-HA could promote remineralization for the demineralized enamel. The inhibitory effect of the spherical nano-HA on dental caries is detected in the artificial mouth test. The CLSM shows that demineralization of enamel is reduced by adding the spherical nano-HA in artificial mouth. The results show that the spherical nano HA have a remineralization effect on the artificial dental caries dramatically, and can prevent and decrease caries.

Abstract: Transparent ALON ceramics with the ultra-fine -ALON spinel powder were prepared by hot-pressing. The powder was prepared by carbothermal reduction method. The optimum condition was hot-pressing between 1850°C to 1920°C for 3 ~ 5 h under 35 MPa. We got transparent samples 70 × 3 mm with in-line transmittance above 70% in the range from the visible to infrared wavelength. The effect of additive contents on transparency and the relation of microstructure and transparency have been discussed in this paper. The transmittance is good when the Y2O3 sintering additive content is 1.5wt%. The sample density is about 99% of its theoretical density. We also measured the flexural strength, elastic modulus and other mechanical properties of ALON.

Abstract: With AlN, Al2O3 and Al powders as starting materials, ALON powders were prepared by high temperature solid state reaction at 1650°C, 1750°C and 1850°C respectively. Nitrogen gas at 1atm was selected as reaction atmosphere. X-ray diffraction analysis and scanning electron microscope analysis were carried out for the as-prepared ALON powders. In this paper, single-component γ-ALON porous materials were obtained at temperatures below 1800 degree with void ratio more than 75%, which is prone to be grinded to powders less than 1μm and applicable for the preparation of transparent ceramics. Aluminum oxynitride spinel γ-ALON transparent ceramics were successfully obtained with the as-prepared ALON powders. The volume density of the transparent ceramics was 3.67g/cm2, which is 99.3 percent of the theoretical density of γ-ALON materials. The bending strength of the transparent ceramics was 296MPa and the transmittance was about 75% in the wavelength range of 1.2 to 5.3μm.

Abstract: Sapphire crystals grown by an improved Kyropoulos-like method were irradiated by gamma rays and electrons in this paper. Thermoluminescence (TL) and optical stimulated luminescence (OSL) properties of sapphire were studied. TL glow curves of sapphire were varied within the room temperature to 500°C at a heating rate of 10min•s-1. The OSL spectra wavelength covered were from 200nm to 700nm. There was a new peak at 220°C, which was produced by the irradiation of gamma rays and electrons. Two broad bands at 330nm and 410nm were found in the luminescence spectra, which were due to transitions of two charge states of an anion vacancy defect, corresponding to F+ and F color centers, respectively.

Abstract: Carbon/Carbon composites were fabricated by microwave pyrolysis chemical vapor infiltration. The carbon fiber felts (the bulk density ~0.2 g/cm3) were infiltrated from methane at temperature of 1075°C, 1100°C, 1125°C and 1150°C, methane partial pressure ranging from 5KPa to 15KPa, and gas residence times of 0.05s ,0.1s, 0.15s and 0.2s. The effect of residence time, deposition temperature and partial pressure of source gas on the textures was studied by polarized-light microscopy. The results show that the anisotropy of texture is better when the parameter is higher; and rough layer texture can be fabricated easily by microwave pyrolysis chemical vapor infiltration.