Bioceramic nanoparticle/collagen nanofiber composites: A nanoindentation study

通过深入了解生物材料的微结构与其力学性能之间的关系，可以提高生物材料的性能，其目的是更好地模拟天然骨的生物学功能。本工作的目的是确定静电纺丝成分改性羟基磷灰石生物陶瓷纳米颗粒/胶原蛋白复合材料的弹性模量和硬度之间的相关性，其形态和组成。 我们将（a）制备各种尺寸和形态的Mg 2+和CO 32-离子取代的羟基磷灰石纳米颗粒（B）通过使用静电纺丝制备具有不同形态的负载纳米颗粒的胶原纤维结构，（c）对制备的纤维结构进行纳米压痕研究，包括单纤维（D）确定了复合材料的机械性能如何随着结构性能的变化而变化。拟议的研究是UAB物理，生物医学工程，材料工程和牙科学院之间跨学科合作的一部分，包括用于生物医学应用的纳米结构，成分分级和多相陶瓷和聚合物材料，并将对新的UAB“纳米生物材料和生物传感器中心”产生重大影响。这项研究将支持一名物理学博士研究生，部分支持一名博士后，并将通过UAB REU和RET课程，实验室课程和几个既定的UAB荣誉课程入学，为物理学和生物医学工程学生提供本科研究机会。

AbstractImproved performance of biomaterials whose purpose is to closely mimic the biological functions of natural bone can be achieved by gaining a deeper understanding of the correlation between the microarchitecture of these materials and their resultant mechanical properties. The aim of this work is to determine the correlation between the elastic modulus and hardness of electrospun compositionally modified hydroxyapatite bioceramic nanoparticle/ collagen nanofiber composites, and their morphology and composition. We will (a) prepare Mg2+ and CO32- ion substituted hydroxyapatite nanoparticles of various sizes and morphology (b) prepare nanoparticle-loaded collagen fibrous constructs with differing morphologies by using electrospinning, (c) conduct a nanoindentation study of the prepared fibrous constructs, including single fibers (d) determine how the mechanical properties evolve as a result of changes in the structural properties of the composites. The proposed research is part of an interdisciplinary collaboration between the UAB Departments of Physics, Biomedical Engineering, Materials Engineering, and School of Dentistry encompassing nanostructured, compositionally graded, and multiphase ceramic and polymeric materials for use in biomedical applications, and will have a large impact on the new UAB "Center for Nanoscale Biomaterials and Biosensors". This research will support one physics PhD graduate student, partially support one postdoc, and will provide undergraduate research opportunities for physics and biomedical engineering students through the UAB REU and RET programs, enrollment in laboratory courses and several established UAB honors programs.