High strength chitosan rod reinforced by non-covalent functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes via an in situ precipitation method
Abstract
Chitosan (CS) has been widely used as temporary mechanical supporter for the regeneration of bone, owing to its biocompatibility, biodegradability and versatility in orthopedic treatment. CS rod material is a promising candidate for internal fixation devices. However, the mechanical strength of existing CS rod materials is still unsatisfactory. In the present work, multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were non-covalently functionalized by poly(p-aminophenylacetylene) (PaPA). CS/MWCNTs composite rods were subsequently fabricated via a unique in situ precipitation method. The resultant composite rods were studied in view of their microscopic morphology, crystallinity, mechanical strength, and biocompatibility. Results indicated that the composite rods showed great improvement in mechanical strength and exhibited good biocompatibility, which made the material a promising candidate for bone fracture internal fixation.