Synthesis of 3D porous ceramic scaffolds obtained by the sol-gel method with surface morphology modified by hollow spheres for bone tissue engineering applications

Abstract

In the present work, we modified the surface morphology of 3D porous ceramic scaffolds by incorporating strontium phosphate (SrP) hollow nano-/microspheres with potential application as delivery system for the local release of therapeutic substances. SrP hollow spheres were synthesized by a template-free hydrothermal method. The influence of the reaction temperature, time and concentration of reactants on precipitates' morphology and size were investigated. To obtain a larger number of open hollow spheres, a new methodology was developed consisting of applying a second hydrothermal treatment to spheres by heating them at 120 °C for 24 h. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis indicated that spheres consisted of a main magnesium-substituted strontium phosphate phase ((Sr3(PO4)2). The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) micrographs confirmed that spheres had hollow interiors (∼350 nm size) and an average diameter of 850 nm. Spheres had a specific surface area of 30.5 m2/g, a mesoporous shell with an average pore size of 3.8 nm, and a pore volume of 0.14 cm/g. These characteristics make them promising candidates for drug, cell and protein delivery. For the attachment of spheres to scaffolds’ surface, ceramic structures were immersed in an ethanol solution containing 0.1 g of hollow spheres and kept at 37 °C for 4 h. The scaffolds with incorporated spheres were bioactive after being immersed in simulated body fluid (SBF) for 7 days and spheres were still adhered to their surface after 14 days