The fabrication and characterization of Hydroxyapatite-Ubi gadong starch based tissue engineering scaffolds

Hydroxyapatite (HA)/Ubi Gadong starch scaffolds were successfully prepared by using glutaraldehyde as a cross linking agent. Starch was added as a support to the HA based scaffolds. The effect of adding certain percentage of starch to the scaffolds was investigated. In this study, three compositions of Ubi Gadong starches were used which were 50%, 60% and 70%. The microstructures and the properties of the scaffolds were studied using water adsorption test, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis. The results of the water absorption test show that the water adsorption was increased due to the pore size increment and better distribution. The results of FTIR and SEM analysis show that these combinations were compatible. The pores' size of the scaffold especially for the 3/7 Hydroxyapatite/Ubi Gadong starch ratio shows adequate size for bone cell proliferation which ranges from 200-600 μm. The FTIR results obtained had proven that the interaction between hydroxyapatite and starch molecules had existed in the composite scaffolds.