α-Calcium sulphate hemihydrate with high aspect ratio crystalline as porous-structured biodegradable ceramic for bone regeneration

Abstract

Porous-structured bioceramics have emerged as an advanced approach in bone regeneration due to several advantages, including improved nutrient and oxygen diffusion, accessible space for cell attachment and proliferation, superior mechanical compatibility with surrounding tissues, and enhanced bone healing. Therefore, in this study, porous alphacalcium sulphate hemihydrate (α-HH) was synthesised via a one-step salt solution method using calcium chloride. A key advantage of using calcium chloride in this method is that it not only improves the purity of the product but also promotes the formation of high-aspect-ratio α-HH crystals, thereby facilitating the development of a porous structure more effectively. The prepared porous α-HH was characterised using several modern analytical techniques, including Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM). These analyses revealed that the synthesised powder met medical-grade standards and exhibited a porosity of 61.32%±3.2, with a compressive strength of 5.04±0.11 MPa. In vitro tests further demonstrated the material’s commendable biodegradability, as well as its capacity for mineralisation, cell adhesion, and migration, suggesting that porous α-HH is a promising biomaterial for bone engineering.