Reinforcement of sol-gel processed calcium phosphate cement using functionalised CNTs

Abstract

Calcium phosphate is bioactive, biodegradable graft material with excellent biological properties. However, its low strength limits its use to only non-stress application1 . We hypothesized that a composite of calcium phosphate cement reinforced with multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) could enhance the strength of the material and widen its applications. In this paper we have discussed a simplified process of fabricating calcium phosphate cement by sol-gel technique2 along with the uniform dispersion and incorporation of MWCNTs. As the material can potentially be replaced with new bone after a period of time, it will satisfy the key requirements of an ideal bone graft.