ABSTRACT
Bacterial infection after implantation of bone tissue engineering scaffolds is still a serious clinical problem. Ag-nano-hydroxyapatite/polyamide66 (Ag-nHA/PA66) antibacterial composite scaffold were prepared with phase-inversion method in this study. The scaffolds were mineralized in saturated calcium phosphate solution at 37 degrees C for 1 day. The microstructure and the newly formed nano-apatite deposition on the scaffolds before and after mineralization were observed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). In order to investigate the release behaviors of Ag+, the Ag-nHA/PA66 scaffolds were immersed into 5 ml PBS at 37 degrees C for a different period between 3 h and 168 h before and after mineralization. Then the samples were cultured with E. coli (8099) to test the antibacterial effect of the scaffolds. The results showed that, after mineralization, Ag-nHA/PA66 porous scaffolds still possessed a good inter-connection and a new apatite layer was formed on the surface of the scaffolds. The average macropore size was 626.61 +/- 141.94 microm, the porosity was 76.89 +/- 8.21% and the compressive strength was 2.94 +/- 1.12 MPa. All these physical parameters had no significant difference from those of the un-mineralized scaffolds. The Ag+ release of the scaffolds with and without mineralization was fast within 1 day and then kept slow and stable after 1 day. The antibacterial test confirmed that after mineralization the scaffolds had good antibacterial effects on E. coli.