Enhancing bone graft efficacy: Antibacterial and osteogenic effects of cerium‐doped biphasic calcium phosphate scaffolds

Abstract

Biphasic calcium phosphate powders, composed of hydroxyapatite and β‐tricalcium phosphate, have gained significant interest as excellent substitutes because of their similarity to natural bone mineral and biocompatibility. The objective was to enhance the biological efficacy of biphasic calcium phosphate powder‐based bone graft materials by incorporating trace elements, such as cerium, into the material. In the context of this investigation, a simple wet chemical precipitation technique was established for the purpose of fabricating microporous biphasic calcium phosphate powders scaffolds of cerium followed by gel casting. The 10% Ce in biphasic calcium phosphate powders scaffolds displayed a network of linked microporous structures characterized by consistent micropore size having 250 ± 25 swelling value. There were no observable alterations in the phase composition and microstructure of the scaffolds when cerium was doped. Further, Staphylococcus aureus was used in the polarization‐induced in vitro antibacterial investigation while the survival of bacteria was greatly reduced on polarized surfaces. The biological activity studies revealed that the 10% cerium‐doped biphasic calcium phosphate powders scaffold exhibited superior efficacy in promoting osteogenic differentiation and antibacterial activities compared to its counterpart. Additionally, polarization improves the antibacterial capabilities of these synthetic scaffolds. The stored charge was found to be 4.02 µC.cm−2 at 550°C.