Sol-gel Based Fabrication and Properties of Mg-Zn Doped Bioactive Glass/Gelatin Composite Scaffold for Bone Tissue Engineering

In this study, a type of SiO2-CaO-P2O5-MgO-ZnO bioactive glass was synthesized via the sol-gel method and then bioactive glass-gelatin composite scaffolds for bone tissue engineering were fabricated. The obtained composite scaffolds were characterized and their microstructural, thermal, mechanical and biological properties were studied by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The XRD patterns of the prepared glass and the composites before incubation in SBF showed the amorphous structure of the samples and no sharp peak was observed but after incubation in SBF solution, the peaks related to the presence of crystalline hydroxyapatite were evident and with increasing incubation time in SBF, the formation and crystallinity of the apatite increased. The FTIR spectra of the synthesized glass and the composite scaffold showed the band attributed to the glass and the gelatin in the samples. After immersion in SBF, the bands related to calcium phosphate formation were observable in agreement with the results of the XRD. The Average Young’s modulus and yield strength of the samples were 30 ± 2 and 5 ± 0.4 Mpa. Cellular biocompatibility tests illustrated optimal cell proliferation on the fabricated scaffolds. This material is seen to be non-toxic and compatible to be used as a potential bone tissue scaffold.