Background: Calcium sulphate cement (CSC) is widely used as an osteoconductive biomaterial in bone repair and regeneration.
Purpose: In this study, porous TiO2 microspheres were added to CSC to achieve a controlled and sustained drug (gentamicin) release.
Methods: Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area analysis were conducted to analyse the morphology, phase composition, and surface area of the TiO2 micro-spheres and composite cements. In addition, the injection time, compressive strength, degradation behaviour, and antibacterial ability of the composite cements were examined during in vitro degradation. Gentamicin release profile was recorded using an ultraviolet spectrophotometer.
Results: The results revealed the excellent drug loading ability of the TiO2 microspheres. The addition of TiO2 microspheres improved the injectability and compressive strength of the composite cements, the maximum value of which was achieved at a TiO2 loading of 5 wt.%. When immersed in simulated body fluid (SBF), the composite cements doped with TiO2 microspheres were observed to release gentamicin in a stable and sustained manner, especially in the latter stages of in vitro degradation. During degradation, CSC doped with TiO2 microspheres exhibited a typical apatite-like behaviour. Further, antibacterial analysis showed that CSC doped with TiO2 microspheres exhibited long-term antibiotic activity.
Conclusion: Thus, as an effective sustained-release formulation material, TiO2 microspheres show a great potential for application in bone cements.
Keywords: TiO2; antibacterial ability; calcium sulfate cement; microsphere; sustained drug release.