The preparation of a difunctional porous β-tricalcium phosphate scaffold with excellent compressive strength and antibacterial properties.

Porous β-tricalcium phosphate (β-Ca(PO), β-TCP) scaffolds are widely applied in the field of bone tissue engineering due to their nontoxicity, degradability, biocompatibility, and osteoinductivity. However, poor compressive strength and a lack of antibacterial properties have hindered their clinical application. In order to address these disadvantages, graphene (G) and silver nanoparticles were introduced into β-TCP through a two-step method. In the synthesis process, G-β-TCP was prepared an synthesis method, and then silver nanoparticles and HAp particles were coated on the surface of the G-β-TCP scaffold in an orderly fashion using dopamine as a binder. From the results of characterization, when the content of graphene was 1 wt% of β-TCP, the G-β-TCP scaffold had the highest compression strength (127.25 MPa). And core-shell G-β-TCP-Ag-HAp not only had reduced cytotoxicity the continuous release of Ag, but it also achieved long-term antibacterial properties. Besides, the material still showed good cell activity and proliferation.