Preparation of a porous hydroxyapatite/collagen nanocomposite using glutaraldehyde as a crosslinkage agent

Glutaraldehyde was used as a crosslinkage agent for the preparation of porous hydroxyapatite/collagen nanocomposites. Hydroxyapatites (HAp) are the suitable bone subsitutes that gives biocompatible, bioactive, biodegradable and osteoconductive properties of natural bone. The microstructures of the composites were observed by scanning electron microscopy and the chemical reaction between HAp nanocrstals and functional groups of collagen was evaluated using diffuse reflection method. The self-alignment of collagen bundles occured during natural drying and HAp crystals with collegen fiber were intensified by glutaraldehyde.