This article demonstrates our efforts in developing and evaluating all-ceramic, biodegradable composites of calcium phosphate cements (CPCs) reinforced with silver (Ag)-doped magnesium phosphate (MgP) crystals. Two primary goals of this study were to 1) enhance CPC's poor mechanical properties with micro-platelet reinforcement, and 2) impart antibacterial functionalities in composites with the aim to inhibit surgical site infections (SSI). The work embodies three novel features. First, as opposed to well-known reinforcements with whisker or fiber-like morphology, we explored micro-platelets for the first time as the strengthening phase in the CPC matrix. Second, in contrast to conventional polymeric or calcium phosphate (CaP) fibrous reinforcements, newberyite (NB, MgHPO₄.3H₂O) micro-platelets belonging to the less explored yet promising MgP family, were evaluated as reinforcements for the first time. Third, NB micro-platelets were doped with Ag⁺ ions (AgNB, Ag content: 2 wt%) for enhancing antibacterial functionalities. Results indicated that 1 wt% of AgNB micro-platelet incorporation in the CPC matrix enhanced the compressive and flexural strengths by 200% and 140% respectively as compared to the un-reinforced ones. Besides, antibacterial assays revealed effective bactericidal functionalities (>99% bacteria kill) of the AgNB reinforced CPCs against Escherichia coli. Finally, cytocompatibility studies confirmed favorable pre-osteoblast cell proliferation and differentiation in vitro. Hence, this effort was successful in developing a self-setting and injectable AgNB reinforced CPC composition with favorable mechanical and antibacterial properties.

本文展示了我们在开发和评估全陶瓷，可生物降解的磷酸钙水泥（CPC）复合材料方面所做的努力，这些复合材料由掺银（Ag）的磷酸镁（MgP）晶体增强。这项研究的两个主要目标是：1）通过微血小板增强来增强CPC不良的机械性能，以及2）在复合材料中赋予抗菌功能，以抑制手术部位感染（SSI）。该作品体现了三个新颖的特征。首先，与晶须或纤维状形态的众所周知的增强剂相反，我们首次探索了微血小板作为CPC基质中的增强相。第二，与传统的聚合或磷酸钙（CaP）纤维增强材料相比，新铝红石（NB，MgHPO ₄ .3H ₂O）属于较少探索但很有希望的MgP家族的微血小板首次被评估为增强剂。第三，在NB微血小板中掺入Ag ⁺离子（AgNB，Ag含量：2 wt％）以增强抗菌功能。结果表明，与未增强的相比，在CPC基质中掺入1 wt％的AgNB微血小板可使抗压强度和抗弯强度分别提高200％和140％。此外，抗菌检测还显示了AgNB增强的CPC对大肠杆菌的有效杀菌功能（> 99％的细菌杀死）。最后，细胞相容性研究证实了体外成骨细胞的良好增殖和分化。因此，该努力成功地开发了具有良好的机械和抗菌性能的自凝性和可注射的AgNB增强的CPC组合物。