Hydroxyapatite incorporation into polyamide membrane

Abstract The synthesized hydroxyapaptite (HA) by the precipitation method and incorporated it into polyamide (PA) membrane obtained by additive manufacture. HA formation and incorporation were confirmed by X-ray diffraction, which revealed peaks corresponding to synthetic HA. The infrared spectra displayed the characteristic HA bands between 1093 and 1032 cm−1, ascribed to phosphate ions (PO43−). After HA incorporation, the membranes were sterilized by using ethylene oxide or an autoclave. Characterization confirmed that HA was present in PA. Cytotoxicity tests did not detect any cytotoxicity for HA, PA, or PA + HA. After incorporation with hydroxyapatite, the membranes were allocated into surgical degrees, sterilized in autoclave and ethylene oxide, and subsequently placed in three distinct intracorporeal sites (subcutaneous tissue close to the right caudal superficial epigastric artery, greater omentum, and tissue surrounding the femur) in rats. None of the rats died during the experiment. After the animals were euthanized, intracorporeal site samples were collected for histological analyses. Neovessels were formed in the proximity of the membranes, and the membranes adhered to the bone. The results indicated that additive manufacturing is important to prepare materials that can be employed in bone implants after these materials undergo appropriate treatment.