Fabrication and characterization of fluorohydroxyapatite nanocrystals/poly(d,l-lactide) composite scaffolds

Poly(d,l-lactide) (PDLLA)/fluorohydroxyapatite nanocrystals (nano-F-HA) porous scaffolds were successfully fabricated through a solvent-casting and particulate-leaching technique. Nano-HA/PDLLA scaffold and PDLLA scaffold were prepared by using the same process for comparison. The structure, phase and morphology of the nanocomposite scaffolds were observed by SEM. The results indicated that F-HA nanocrystals were homogeneously dispersed in the PDLLA matrix. The porosity of the scaffolds was up to 90%, and macropores and micropores coexisted and interconnected throughout the scaffolds. Cell culture experiments demonstrated that the nano-F-HA/PDLLA scaffold had the best adhesion tendency to chondrocytes among the scaffolds investigated.