Carboxylated chitosan/silver-hydroxyapatite hybrid microspheres with improved antibacterial activity and cytocompatibility

•Carboxylated chitosan/silver-hydroxyapatite hybrid microspheres were fabricated.•Synthesis process was facile via a facile gas diffusion method.•The morphological characteristics and phase composition of composites were investigated.•CMCS/Ag-HA hybrid microspheres showed excellent bactericidal property and biocompatibility.

The implant-associated infection remains a serious problem in clinic. A better compromise between the anti-infection property and biocompatibility of bone filling materials is still required. In this work, carboxylated chitosan/silver-hydroxyapatite (CMCS/Ag-HA) hybrid microspheres were fabricated via a facile gas diffusion method. CMCS and Ag ion were evenly distributed into hybrid microspheres. CMCS regulated the morphological characteristics of the as-synthesized hybrid microspheres. As the content of CMCS increased, the size of the sample increased and dispersion exacerbated. In addition, antimicrobial studies demonstrated that CMCS/Ag-HA hybrid microspheres exhibited an excellent antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus because of the synergistic effect of Ag+ and CMCS. In vitro cell tests indicated that the as-prepared CMCS/Ag-HA hybrid microspheres promoted the proliferation and adhesion of MG63 cells. CMCS/Ag-HA hybrid microspheres showed excellent bactericidal property and biocompatibility; thus, they could be used in biomedical applications, such as infection-resistant bone replacement materials.