Functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes and hydroxyapatite nanorods reinforced with polypropylene for biomedical application

Fahad Saleem Ahmed Khan; N M Mubarak; Mohammad Khalid; Rashmi Walvekar; E C Abdullah; Awais Ahmad; Rama Rao Karri; Harshini Pakalapati

doi:10.1038/s41598-020-80767-3

Functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes and hydroxyapatite nanorods reinforced with polypropylene for biomedical application

Sci Rep. 2021 Jan 12;11(1):843. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-80767-3.

Authors

Fahad Saleem Ahmed Khan¹, N M Mubarak², Mohammad Khalid³, Rashmi Walvekar⁴, E C Abdullah⁵, Awais Ahmad⁶, Rama Rao Karri⁷, Harshini Pakalapati⁸

Affiliations

¹ Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Science, Curtin University, 98009, Miri Sarawak, Malaysia.
² Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Science, Curtin University, 98009, Miri Sarawak, Malaysia. mubarak.yaseen@gmail.com.
³ Graphene & Advanced 2D Materials Research Group (GAMRG), School of Engineering and Technology, Sunway University, No. 5, Jalan Universiti, Bandar Sunway, 47500, Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia.
⁴ Department of Chemical Engineering, School of Energy and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University Malaysia, Jalan Sunsuria, Bandar Sunsuria, 43900, Sepang, Selangor, Malaysia.
⁵ Department of Chemical Process Engineering, Malaysia-Japan International Institute of Technology (MJIIT) Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), Jalan Sultan Yahya Petra, 54100, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
⁶ Department of Chemistry, The University of Lahore, Lahore, 54590, Pakistan.
⁷ Petroleum, and Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Brunei, Bandar Seri Begawan, BE1410, Brunei Darussalam.
⁸ Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus, Jalan Brogans, 43500, Semenyih, Selangor, Malaysia.

Abstract

Modified multi-walled carbon nanotubes (f-MWCNTs) and hydroxyapatite nanorods (n-HA) were reinforced into polypropylene (PP) with the support of a melt compounding approach. Varying composition of f-MWCNTs (0.1-0.3 wt.%) and nHA (15-20 wt.%) were reinforced into PP, to obtain biocomposites of different compositions. The morphology, thermal and mechanical characteristics of PP/n-HA/f-MWCNTs were observed. Tensile studies reflected that the addition of f-MWCNTs is advantageous in improving the tensile strength of PP/n-HA nanocomposites but decreases its Young's modulus significantly. Based on the thermal study, the f-MWCNTs and n-HA were known to be adequate to enhance PP's thermal and dimensional stability. Furthermore, MTT studies proved that PP/n-HA/f-MWCNTs are biocompatible. Consequently, f-MWCNTs and n-HA reinforced into PP may be a promising nanocomposite in orthopedics industry applications such as the human subchondral bone i.e. patella and cartilage and fabricating certain light-loaded implants.