Composite material based on hydroxyapatite, sodium alginate and graphene oxide: preparation, characterization and drug release ability

L.F. Sukhodub1, L.B. Sukhodub1, Yu.I. Prylutskyy2, L.L. Vovchenko2, 
O.O. Litsis2, N.A. Davidenko2, O.Yu. Artemenko2, U. Ritter3

1Sumy State University, Sumy 40007, Ukraine.
E-mail: l_sukhodub@yahoo.com
2Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Kyiv 01601, Ukraine.
3Technical University of Ilmenau, Ilmenau 98693, Germany.

The novel bioactive composite material based on hydroxyapatite (HA), sodium alginate (Alg) and graphene oxide (GO) was synthesized by the "wet chemistry" method and characterized in detail by various experimental techniques such as DLS, SEM, XRD, FTIR and ТG/DТА analysis. The mechanical properties (maximal relative deformation, strength and Young's modulus) of HA-Alg/GO composites depending on the GO content under loading were investigated. The swelling behaviour was quantified by measuring the changes in sample weight as a function of sample immersion time in a phosphate buffered saline (PBS). Bioactivity test was carried out by soaking the sample in PBS. The material composition influence on the drug release was studied using HPLC method. The pharmaceutical Chlorhexidine bigluconate (CH) solution was used as a model drug. 
The findings clear demonstrate the possibility of application of the HA-Alg/GO composite material in bioengineering of bone tissue to fill bone defects of various geometries with the function of prolonged release of the drug. It is assumed that HA-Alg/GO composite material can be used in 3D modeling of areas of bone tissue that have to bear a mechanical load.