Investigation and Primary Fabrication of Strontium-Copper-Doped Sol-Gel Bioglass for Soft-Tissue Repair
Date
2022-12
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University. Inamori School of Engineering.
Abstract
Several studies have reported the use of either strontium (Sr2+) or copper (Cu2+) as bioactive glass dopants however, incorporating both dopants into a bioactive glass composition for the use of soft tissue regeneration remains to be accomplished. Both strontium and copper encourage soft tissue bonding to bone and present angiogenic and antimicrobial properties, respectively. In the current study, the objective was to synthesize strontium and copper-doped bioactive glasses via the sol-gel processing technique and to characterize the structure of the material along with evaluating the antibacterial properties of each bioactive glass. Bioactive glasses synthesized using the sol-gel processing technique have the potential to create high levels of purity and homogeneity while also allowing for a variety of pore structures ranging from nanometers to millimeters. The bioactive glass samples were characterized using various X-ray techniques, vibrational spectroscopy, thermal analysis, and particle size analysis methods. The antibacterial efficacy of the bioactive glasses was examined using multiple methods including, agar diffusion and broth dilution tests which were conducted on the bioactive glass frit and then fabricated into thin films using Polycaprolactone (PCL) and analyzed again using SEM/EDX. This research primarily focuses on understanding the structure and properties of strontium and copper-doped bioactive glasses but gives insight into the materials' role in soft tissue repair and regeneration. The material's intended function would be to augment the insertion points of ligaments, like the Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL), and to facilitate the recruitment of new cells to increase healing times after reconstruction.
Description
Thesis completed in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Biomaterials Engineering at the Inamori School of Engineering, New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University
Type
Thesis
item.page.format
Keywords
Biomedical materials, Bioactive glasses