Effect of simulated body fluid on the microstructure of melt spun composite fibers

Polylactic acid (PLA) offers unique features of biodegradability and thermal processability, that offer potential applications in medicine. PLA can be transformed into fibers by spinning enabling then subsequent fabrication of desirable three dimensional fabrics which may be used as scaffolds for tissue engineering applications. Incorporation of synthetic nano-hydroxyapatite into the fibrous polymer matrix can enhance bioactive properties of the prospective scaffold. In the present work, the method of production of composite fibers based on polylactic acid (PLA) and nano-hydroxyapatite (n-HAp) is proposed. Obtained fibers have shown excellent apatite-forming ability when immersed in simulated body fluid.