Characterisation of bioactive and resorbable polylactide/Bioglass® composites by FTIR spectroscopic imaging

Formation, size and distribution of hydroxyapatite domains in resorbable composites made Of poly(DL-lactide) foams and Bioglass(R) particles after exposure to a solution of phosphate-buffer saline (PBS) for different periods of time have been analysed with FTIR imaging using the micro-ATR-IR approach. The spectral information of 4096 spectra measured simultaneously with the IR microscope equipped with a focal plane infrared array detector allowed us to obtain chemical images showing the distribution of Bioglass(R) particles in the composites. FTIR imaging in micro-ATR mode allowed to obtain images with enhanced spatial resolution. A random distribution of hydroxyapatite domains with average size of ca. 10 mum on the surface of the composites was found after exposure to PBS for 14 and 28 days. The further growth of the hydroxyapatite domains after exposure to PBS for 63 days was detected. The spectroscopic imaging method introduced here promises to become a powerful method for characterisation of resorbable polymer composites containing bioactive inorganic phases developed for bone tissue engineering scaffolds. The accurate detection of hydroxyapatite domains and the imaging of their location in the scaffold structure is required to provide an assessment of the composites bioactivity. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.