Surfactant-assisted size control of hydroxyapatite nanorods for bone tissue engineering

This study presents the physicochemical characterization of the pluronic surfactant-assisted size control of hydroxyapatite (HAp) nanorods for bone tissue engineering (BTE). Rod-shaped HAp nanoparticles were synthesized via a simple route by hydrothermal treatment and with the assistance of the triblock co-polymer PEO20-PPO70-PEO20 (P123). The films of poly (d, l) lactic acid (PDLLA) were prepared as a substrate to spread synthesized HAp nanorods. Powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), field electron scanning microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, nitrogen adsorption isotherms, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy were used to characterize the structure and composition of the HAp samples. Results showed that regular rod-shaped HAp nanoparticles (with a mean length of 120 nm and a mean width of 28 nm) were successfully produced. Moreover, synthesized HAp nanorods revealed the rapid formation of bone-like apatite with a distinctive morphology, similar to flower-like apatite; the formation was observed as early as 7 days after incubation in stimulated body fluids. This study is a positive addition to the ongoing research on the preparation of HAp nanostructures toward the development of biocompatible composite scaffolds for BTE applications.