Bioactive glass/polymer hybrids are promising materials for biomedical applications because they combine the bioactivity of these glasses with the flexibility of polymers. In this work it was evaluated the effect of increasing the PVA content of the on structural characteristics and mechanical properties of hybrid. The hybrids were prepared with 70 wt. (%) SiO2-30 wt. (%) CaO and PVA fractions of 20 to 60 wt. (%) by the sol-gel method. The structural and mechanical characterization was done by FTIR, SEM and compression tests. To reduce the acidic character of the hybrids due to the catalysts added, different neutralization solutions were tested. The calcium acetate alcoholic solution was the best neutralizing method, resulting in foams with final pH of about 7.0 and small sample contraction. The foams presented porosity of 60-85 wt. (%) and pore diameters of 100-500 μm with interconnected structure. An increase of PVA fraction in the hybrids improved their mechanical properties. The scaffolds produced provided a good environment for the adhesion and proliferation of osteoblasts.

Híbridos de vidro bioativo/polímero são materiais de grande interesse em aplicações biomédicas devido às suas propriedades, que combinam a bioatividade dos materiais cerâmicos, com a flexibilidade dos polímeros. Para regeneração do tecido ósseo, propriedades mecânicas da matriz são críticas e o módulo e a resistência mecânica do material devem ser similares aos do osso natural. Em trabalhos anteriores desenvolvidos no grupo obtiveram-se espumas híbridas 80% vidro bioativo/20% álcool polivinílico (PVA), para aplicação em engenharia de tecidos. Neste trabalho foi aumentado o teor de PVA dos híbridos para otimizar suas propriedades mecânicas. Os híbridos foram preparados com fase inorgânica 70%SiO2-30%CaO e teores de PVA de 20 a 60%, através da hidrólise ácida de tetraetil ortosilicato, adição de CaCl2, PVA, surfactante e HF. A secagem das espumas mostrou-se crítica, ocorrendo grande contração do gel As amostras foram secas por duas rotas: (1): pré-secagem a 40°C em estufa e secagem a vácuo; (2): pré-secagem a 40°C em estufa com circulação de ar e secagem a alto vácuo. A rota de secagem 2 apresentou maior perda de água e menor contração das amostras. Corpos de prova cúbicos, 10x10x10mm, foram submetidos a ensaios de compressão com velocidade de aplicação de carga de 0,5mm/min. Observou-se que o aumento do teor de polímero na composição das espumas melhorou suas propriedades mecânicas.

Bioactive glass/ polymer hybrids are materials of high interest for biomedicals applications because their assets, they combine the bioactivity of ceramics, with the flexibility of the polymers. In bone regenerations, mechanicals properties of the scaffold are criticisms and they must be similar to the bone properties. In previous works, hybrid foams with 80% bioactive glass and 20% polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) were prepared by sol-gel process to application as scaffold for bone tissue engineering. In this work, the PVA fraction of the hybrids was increase for to improve their mechanicals properties. The hybrids were prepared with composition inorganic of 70%SiO2-30%CaO and PVA fractions of 20 to 60% by sol-gel method. The drying of the foams was a criticism stage, occurring ample contraction from the gel. The samples were drying for two routes: (1) pre-drying at 40ºC for 7 days and drying at vacuum for 48 hours; (2) pre-drying with air circulation at 40ºC for 7 days and drying at high vacuum for 48 hours. The drying route 2 had the most lost of water and the least contraction of samples. Five specimens of hybrids samples with dimensions 10x10x10mm were compressed at 0,5mm/min-1. The increase of PVA fraction in the hybrids improves their mechanicals properties.