PGA Fiber Reinforced Calcium Aluminate Cement for Orthopaedic Application

Calcium aluminate cement (CAC) is a penitential candidate for bone replacements with good bioactivity but relative lower strength. In this study, biodegradable PGA fiber was incorporated into the CAC paste in order to improve the strength of the material. And MC3T3 cells were seeded on the surface of CAC and CAC/fiber to study their in vitro biocompatibility. The results indicate that the PGA fiber can improve the compressive strength of CAC without changing the crystalline phases and micromorphology. Calcium aluminate oxide hydrate, katoite and Gibbsite crystals were detected by XRD. Plate-like crystals can be observed under FESEM. The MC3T3 cells were attached well on both CAC and CAC/fiber composite, indicating their good in vitro biocompatibility. In summary, fiber reinforcement can be an effective way to improve the properties of calcium aluminate cement for orthopaedic application.