The in vitro degradation behaviour of poly(glycolic acid) (PGA) and its composite films containing poly(DL-lactic acid) (PDLLA) and poly(DL-lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PDLGA) were investigated via mass loss, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). All the films were prepared by solution casting, using 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoro-2-propanol (HFIP) as the solvent. Since the degradation rate of PDLLA is lower than that of PGA, those of the PDLLA/PGA composite films decreased. As a compatibilizer, PDLGA improved the compatibility and hydrolytic stability of PDLLA/PGA composite films. Changes in the composite films indicate that this kind of PGA-based composite biomaterial may be applicable to device design for clinical application in the future.

Blends of poly(ρ-dioxanone) (PPDO) and poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA) in different proportions were prepared by solution co-precipitation. The nonisothermal crystallization behaviour of pure PPDO and PPDO/PLLA blends was investigated by differential scanning calorimetry. The Avrami, Ozawa and Mo models were used to analyse the nonisothermal kinetics. The addition of PLLA significantly increases the crystallization peak temperature and crystallinity of PPDO, but has little effect on crystallization half-time. The activation energies of crystallization were calculated using the Kissinger equation. The results suggest that PLLA plays two roles in the nonisothermal crystallization of PPDO; PLLA both promotes the crystallization of PPDO as a nucleating agent and meanwhile restricts the motion of PPDO chains.

A series of highly interconnected porous poly(D,L-lactide acid) (PDLLA)/pyrite (Zi-Ran-Tong, FeS₂) scaffold containing 5–20% of pyrite was fabricated by particle leaching combined with the thermal-induced phase separation method. Pyrite (FeS₂, named as Zi-Ran-Tong in Chinese medicine), as a traditional Chinesemedicine, has been used in the Chinese population to treat bone diseases and to promote bone healing. The mechanical properties of the PDLLA scaffold were significantly enhanced after the addition of pyrite. The osteoblastic ROS17/2.8 cell line was used and seeded on the PDLLA/pyrite scaffold to study its potential to support the growth of osteoblastic cells and to estimate the optimal dose of pyrite for bone tissue engineering. The effects of pyrite on cell proliferation and differentiation were evaluated by 3-[4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide and alkaline phosphatase activity assay. The cells on the porous composite scaffold formed a continuous layer on the outer and inner surface observed by scanning electron microscopy and fluorescence microscope. The results strongly suggested that the PDLLA/pyrite composite scaffold could stimulate the growth of ROS17/2.8 cells in vitro and it could be potentially used as a scaffold for bone tissue engineering.

In this study, biodegradable poly(p-dioxanone) (PPDO)/octamethyl-polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes (ome-POSS) nanocomposites were fabricated by the simple solution casting method with various ome-POSS loadings. Scanning electron microscopic observations indicate that ome-POSS is well dispersed in the PPDO matrix. Effect of ome-POSS on the isothermal melt crystallization and dynamic mechanical properties of PPDO in the nanocomposites were studied in detail. It shows that the overall crystallization rates are faster in the nanocomposites than in neat PPDO and increase with the increase in ome-POSS loadings; however, X-ray diffraction patterns, POM and the Avrami exponent suggest that the crystal structure and the crystallization mechanism do not change despite the presence of ome-POSS. The mechanical property of PPDO/ome-POSS nanocomposites was enhanced with respect to neat PPDO.

To combine the self-setting property of $\alpha$-calcium sulphate hemihydrate ($\alpha$-CSH) with the bioactive property of bioactive glass (BG), BG was added into $\alpha$-CSH to prepare $\alpha$-CSH/BG composites. The in vitro bioactivity and cytocompatibility of the $\alpha$-CSH/BG composites were assessed by soaking the composites in simulated body fluid (SBF) andco-culturing with the osteoblasts, respectively. Formation of a bone-like apatite layer on the composite surface was studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) andenergy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). Variations in ionic concentration and pH of the SBF solution were detected. The incorporation of BG into $\alpha$-CSH, effectively compensated for the pH decrease caused by the dissolution of $\alpha$-CSH and the ion exchange.Osteoblast-like cells (MG63) were cultured on the samples, and theMTTresults confirmed that the compositescontaining BG were more favourable for the proliferation of these cells. Hence, $\alpha$-CSH/BG composites might have great potential for the use as a bone regeneration material.