Improvement of mechanical and biological properties of Polycaprolactone loaded with Hydroxyapatite and Halloysite nanotubes

•Hydroxiapatite and Halloysite (HNTs) percentages have been optimized in Polycaprolactone (PCL) polymeric matrices.•Study of the enhancement of mechanical, thermal and biological properties of the composites has been done.•Optimized composite based on PCL has been designed to be applied in bone tissue engineering or as fixation plates.•Addition of HNTs ensures the presence of tubular structures for subsequent drug loading in their lumen, of molecules such as curcumin.

Hydroxyapatite (HA) and Halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) percentages have been optimized in Polycaprolactone (PCL) polymeric matrices to improve mechanical, thermal and biological properties of the composites, thus, to be applied in bone tissue engineering or as fixation plates. Addition of HA guarantees a proper compatibility with human bone due to its osteoconductive and osteoinductive properties, facilitating bone regeneration in tissue engineering applications. Addition of HNTs ensures the presence of tubular structures for subsequent drug loading in their lumen, of molecules such as curcumin, acting as controlled drug delivery systems. The addition of 20% of HA and different amounts of HNTs leads to a substantial improvement in mechanical properties with values of flexural strength up to 40% over raw PCL, with an increase in degradation temperature. DMA analyses showed stability in mechanical and thermal properties, having as a result a potential composite to be used as tissue engineering scaffold or resorbable fixation plate.