Effect of polydopamine on the biomimetic mineralization of mussel-inspired calcium phosphate cement in vitro

• Effect of polydopamine (PDA) on the in vitro mineralization of PDA-CPC was studied.
• PDA promoted the rapid mineralization on PDA-CPC to form a nanoscale HA layer.
• The precipitation of the nanoscale HA layer on PDA-CPC accompanied with PDA.
• Polydopamine induced mineralization is feasible for surface modification of CaP.

Inspired by the excellent adhesive property of mussel adhesive protein, we added polydopamine (PDA) to calcium phosphate cement (PDA–CPC) to enhance its compressive strength previously. The mineralization and mechanism on PDA–CPC were investigated by soaking it in simulated body fluid in this study. The results indicated that PDA promoted the conversion of dicalcium phosphate dihydrate and α-tricalcium phosphate to hydroxyapatite (HA) in the early stage but inhibited this conversion subsequently. PDA promoted the rapid mineralization on PDA–CPC to form a layer of nanoscale calcium phosphate (CaP) whereas there was no CaP formation on the control-CPC after 1 d of soaking. This layer of nanoscale CaP was similar to that of natural bone, which was always observed during soaking. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy showed that the peak of CO of PDA existed in the newly formed CaP on PDA–CPC, indicating the co-precipitation of CaP with PDA. Furthermore, the newly formed CaP on PDA–CPC was HA confirmed by transmission electron microscopy, which the newly formed HA was in association with PDA. Therefore, PDA increased the capacity of mineralization of CPC and induced the formation of nanoscale bone-like apatite on PDA–CPC. Thus, this provides the feasible route for surface modification on CPC.

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