ABSTRACT Poly(methyl methacrylate) is widely used in bone cement for its mechanical strength and handling ease, but its bio‐inert nature prevents bonding with native bone, limiting its application in orthopaedic implants. In contrast, the bioactive ceramic, larnite, a key phase of dicalcium silicate in Portland cement, offers controlled dissolution and the release of ions that promote hydroxyapatite formation and osteoconductivity, while also exhibiting bactericidal activity. Since implant‐associated infections remain a major cause of surgical failure, developing materials that combine osteoconductivity with intrinsic antibacterial activity would be a major advancement. To exploit the complementary properties of both materials, we developed larnite/PMMA composite scaffolds. Larnite was synthesized via a sol–gel‐assisted combustion process using sucrose, tartaric acid, or l ‐alanine as fuels, and composites were fabricated by solvent casting. The composite scaffolds demonstrated excellent hydroxyapatite deposition in simulated body fluid, adequate mechanical strength and antibacterial activity against six clinically‐relevant pathogens, while in vitro studies with MG‐63 osteoblast‐like cells confirmed their cytocompatibility, highlighting their potential as multifunctional scaffolds for bone tissue engineering.
Mary et al. (Sun,) studied this question.