Hybrid Ceramo-Polymeric Nano-Diamond Composites

Abstract

This paper discusses a new class of bio-mechanical scaffolds active for tissue engineering based on a nano-diamond-filled hydrophilic polymer matrix. The new biomaterials used have special mechanical and biological properties for which they should be extensively studied for their use for various advanced biomedical applications. The new hybrid material has been prepared using 2 and 5% by volume of detonating nano-diamonds and poly (hydroxy-ethyl-methacrylate) hydrophilic. Both the mechanical and biological properties specific to the nanocomposite are hybrids in nature. The paper presents the analytical procedures of the hybrid material and the preliminary mechanical characterization. This class of hybrid materials has a high potential for biomimetic, osteoconductive and osteoinductive applications as active bio-mechanical bones for increasing osteoblasts and differentiating stem cells. At the same time, these hybrid nano-composites possess a much improved mechanical strength that exceeds the mechanical deficiencies of the hydrogels traditionally used for bone regeneration and can be applied as an osteoinductive coating for metal trabecular scaffolds. Micro-trabecular metal structures coated with active and osteoinductive biomechanical ceramic-polymeric biomechanical scaffolds are proposed to recreate macro and micro-distribution of bone stresses and deformations.