Nazmi Ekren

Effect of Yttria-doping on Mechanical Properties of Bovine Hydroxyapatite (BHA)

Sintered bodies of hydroxyapatite, derived from calcinated bovine bone (BHA) and doped with 0.5 and 1 wt% Y2O3, were prepared. Measurements of density, compression strength, and microhardness, along with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were carried out. The experimental results showed that BHA doping with yttria favors formation of glassy phase, which advances sintering and results in a dense and reinforced BHA matrix. The best mechanical properties were achieved after sintering at 1200°C for compressive strength (82MPa) and 1300°C for microhardness (672HV). These results are better than pure BHA or composites of hydroxyapatite with Y2O3-stablized zirconia, qualifying yttria (as dopant of BHA) for further in vitro and in vivo experimentation.

Reinforcing of Biologically Derived Apatite with Commercial Inert Glass

Apatite-based ceramics, derived from fine powder of calcinated bovine—bone (BHA), were successfully reinforced with 5 and 10 wt% commercial inert glass (CIG), which contained biocompatible elements, via sintering at different temperatures between 1000 and 1300°C. The products were subjected to mechanical testing and microstructural and crystallographic analyses. Comparison of the experimental results with those from earlier similar studies shows that CIG is superior for reinforcing of BHA ceramics compared with other bioactive glasses. Provided that the CIG addition does not exceed a certain limit, optimally being approximately 5 wt%, the resultant BHA-CIG materials can exhibit high strength after sintering and remarkable resistance toward over-firing at 1300°C. The influence of the amount of CIG on the developed microstructure and crystalline structure after sintering at different temperatures is discussed.

MAGNETIC CORE SHELL STRUCTURES: from 0D to 1D assembling

Material research and development studies are focused on different techniques of bringing out nanomaterials with desired characteristics and properties. From the point of view of materials development, nowadays scientists are strongly focused on obtaining materials with predefined characteristics and properties. The morphology control seems to be a determinant factor and increasing attention is devoted to this aspect. At this moment it is possible to engineer the materials features by using different methods and materials combination for both medical and industrial applications. In the applications of chemistry and synthesis, biology, mechanics, optics solar cells and microelectronics tailoring the adjustable parameters of stoichiometry, chemical structure, shape and segregation are evaluated and opens new fields. Because of the magnetic features of nanoparticles and durable particle size, less than 100 nm, this study is aiming to describe their uses in practical applications. Thats why the whole hydrodynamic magnetic core shell topic will be reviewed on this paper. Additionally, the properties acting in general sight in solid-state physics are utilized for material selection and for defining issue connecting the core, shell structure and their producing properties. Here, in the study of core/shell nanoparticle various physical and chemical synthesis routes and the effect of electrospun method are briefly discussed. Starting from a real void of the scientific literature, the existent data related to the 1D magnetic electrospun materials are reviewed. The perspectives in the medical, environmental or energetic sector is great and bring some real advantages related to the 0D core@shell structures because both mechanical and biological properties are dependent on the morphology of the materials.

Production of the biomimetic small diameter blood vessels for cardiovascular tissue engineering

ABSTRACT A novel biomimetic vascular graft scaffolds were produced by electrospinning method with the most superior characteristics to be a proper biomimetic small diameter blood vessel using Polycaprolactone(PCL), Ethyl Cellulose(EC) and Collagen Type-1 were used to create the most convenient synergy of a natural and synthetic polymer to achieve similarity to native small diameter blood vessels. Scanning Electron Microscopy(SEM), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy(FTIR), Differential Scanning Calorimetry Analysis(DSC), tensile measurement tests, and in-vitro and in-vivo applications were performed. Results indicated significant properties such as having 39.33 nm minimum, 104.98 nm average fiber diameter, 3.2 MPa young modulus and 135% relative cell viability. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

Novel Bioceramic Production via Mechanochemical Conversion from Plate Limpet (Tectura scutum) - Shells

Calcium phosphates are very important biomaterials for orthopaedic and dental applications. Hydroxyapatite (HA) is one of the important phases used for grafting. Those are produced from synthetic and natural sources with various methods. Especially nano-bioceramics can be produced through calcitic and aragonitic structures (i.e. mussel shells, sea snail shells, land snail shells and sea urchin shells). The plate limpet shells were used. The plate limpet is a gastropod, a soft-bodied invertebrate (an animal without a backbone) that is protected by a very hard, flattened conical shell. In this study the Plate Limpet (Tectura scutum) shells were obtained from a local gift store in Istanbul. The habitation of these limpets broadens from south Alaska down to California - Mexico. First the exact CaCO3 content was measured with thermal analysis (DTA/TGA). Here in this study agitation was carried out on a hot-plate (i.e. mechano-chemical processing). First the temperature was set at 80 °C for 15 min. Then equivalent amount to CaO H3PO4 was added dropwise for HA phase formation and the reaction was set on a hotplate for 8 hours. The dried sediments HA part was divided into 2 groups. One group was sintered to 835 °C and second group to 855 °C. Here x-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscope (SEM) studies were performed. From the study various HA phases and TCP phases were obtained. A previous study done with Atlantic Deer Cowrie encourages nanobioceramic production from natural sources. This study proposes that mechanochemical agitation with very simple way for producing nano-sized calcium phosphates for future bioengineering scaffold applications.

Can European Sea Bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) Scale Be a Good Candidate for Nano-Bioceramics Production?

Bioceramics are commonly used biomaterials for orthopedic and dental applications. Among these bioceramics, hydroxyapatite (HA) and tricalcium phosphate (TCP) are of interest and are used in various biomedical applications. Production of bioceramics from natural materials such as bovine and sheep bones with calcination method, is possible. Lately, fish scales become an alternative biological source for bioceramic production. The present study proposes an approach to obtain HA bone-scaffolds from European Sea Bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) scales aiming to provide nano-biomaterials via calcination method. Untreated fish scales are obtained and are carefully cleaned from their meat and grease. They are washed with alkaline water several times and calcinated at 850°C for 4 hours. Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray diffraction analysis, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) studies are performed. Various calcium phosphate species (HA, TCP) are identified in the study. SEM images prove the presence of the nano-scale structures. This study indicates calcination as a simple way of nano-scale bioceramic production for drug delivery and tissue engineering applications. Being produced from wastes of a sustainable and cheap source, these bioceramics can be good candidates for future clinical applications.

Electrohydrodynamic (EHD) Bioprinting of Polycaprolactone Scaffolds

This study is combined a 3D printing and Electrohydrodynamic (EHD) methods to fabricate a 3D PCL scaffolds for tissue engineering. Various kV values were applied to the different PCL solutions to investigate the effect of the voltage on scaffolds. The morphology of 3D-EHD printed PCL scaffolds were characterized by an Optical Microscope. 10 wt.% PCL up to 3 kV was obtained best sample to use for tissue engineering scaffolds.

Microstructural and Mechanical Properties of Nano-Yttria-Oxide Doped Hydroxyapatite Composites

Nowadays hydroxyapatite (HA) bioceramics are very important because increasing traffic accidents and ageing of the population. They can be produced from synthetic or natural sources with different production methods. The biggest negative issue of HA is being very brittle and unstable under pressure. Various materials are added for restoring these weaknesses, but there is not so much studies adding nano-ingredients for restoring the mechanical properties of HA. In this study, 5-10% nano-yittria-oxide is added to bovine derived HA (BHA) and to commercial synthetic (CSHA) as a control group. Physical and mechanical properties are examined. Results show that adding of nano-ingredients are really helping to mechanical properties of HA.

3D Liquid Bioprinting of the PCL/β-TCP Scaffolds

In this present work, an original 3D bioprinting method has been developed by modifying an exceptional 3D printer. Using a composite material, bioprinting was carried out to create the ideal scaffold material to contribute regeneration of the certain amount of tissue types in humans. After bypassing the extruder and heating system of the 3D printer, instead of using solid filaments, polymer-ceramic composite was dissolved using an organic agent and bioprinting was conducted. During the bioprinting, dissolving agent was evaporated quickly and solidification process was completed. Despite of the traditional 3D printing, which benefits from the glass transition temperature of the materials, regardless of the temperature, rapid prototyping technology has been merged with controlled flow rate of the composite solution and evaporation of the solvents were adjusted meticulously for proper solidification and layer by layer bioprinting of the scaffolds.

Production of the novel fibrous structure of poly(ε-caprolactone)/tri-calcium phosphate/hexagonal boron nitride composites for bone tissue engineering

Nanofibrous composites of the poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL), tricalcium phosphate (TCP), and hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) with different compositions were manufactured by using an economical and non-complicated method called electrospinning. Produced fibrous structures showed no bead formation and had a clean surface. Characterization of the composites showed that particles were successfully mixed with polymer phase. High cell activity of SaOS-2 cells on the composites was observed with SEM images. In addition, fibrous scaffolds are biocompatible with human bone tissue and are highly degradable.