Comparative study on physicochemical and mechanical characterization of new nanocarbon-based hydroxyapatite nanocomposites

Abstract

This study evaluated the effect of different additives such as nanocarbon compounds (0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 wt.%) with different morphologies and gelatin (Gel) (10 wt.%) on the mechanical properties of hydroxyapatite (Hap)based nanocomposites (NCs). The NCs were prepared using the innovation process “SmartBox” based on the Internet of things (IoT), which provides process control and reproducibility, and they were characterized by X-ray diffraction, particle size distribution, transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and thermal analysis. The compressive strength tests demonstrated that the use of grapheme oxide (Hap_GO_2.0 - 133 N/mm2), and/or Gel (Hap_Gel - 152 N/mm2) as additives to reinforce Hap (106 N/mm2) is more appropriate than the use of single functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes (Hap_fMWCNT_1.0 - 110 N/mm2) and fullerene (Hap_Ful_0.5 - 106 N/mm2).