Natural Bone‐Derived Ceramic Scaffolds Functionalized with Chitosan‐Gold, Chitosan‐Magnesium, and Chitosan‐Zinc for Enhanced Antibacterial Activity

This study presents the development of antibacterial ceramic scaffolds derived from natural bovine bone (pore sizes of ~150–300 µm) and functionalized with chitosan‐based coatings incorporating gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), magnesium (Mg ²⁺ ), and zinc (Zn ²⁺ ) ions. The scaffolds were prepared through sequential chemical treatment followed by calcination at 550°C to remove organic components and obtain a porous hydroxyapatite structure. Antibacterial performance was evaluated against Escherichia coli using agar diffusion assays. All coatings exhibited antibacterial activity; however, significant differences were observed depending on composition. The chitosan–AuNP coating demonstrated the highest antibacterial performance, with an inhibition zone approximately 30%–50% larger than the other formulations, indicating a strong synergistic effect between chitosan and AuNPs. Surface characterization using SEM and EDS confirmed successful coating deposition and homogeneous elemental distribution across the scaffold surface. These findings highlight the effectiveness of chitosan‐based composite coatings, particularly with AuNPs, for enhancing antibacterial performance in bone scaffold applications. Further studies are required to investigate ion release behavior and cytocompatibility.