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Abstract
The present work describes the development of biomimetic composite materials for bone tissue substitution and repair. Using a ‘biologically inspired’ synthesis, apatite/collagen (70: 30 wt-%) biohybrid composites were developed, nucleating apatitic phases on self-assembling collagen, acting as a template. To reproduce the chemical composition of natural tissue, specific reactants were added during the synthesis process, to induce the growth of amorphous apatitic phases containing ions influent for the bone regeneration, namely, CO32−, Mg2+ and SiO44−, directly on the surface of the assembling organic fibrils. To increase the stability of the composite in physiological condition, a cross-linking agent was employed. The effect of natural proteins on the mineralisation process as well as the influence of the substituting ions on the crystallinity and morphology of the mineral particles was investigated. The features of the final composites were thoroughly examined in comparison with those of natural bone.