Hydroxyapatite/biodegradable poly(l-lactide–co-ε-caprolactone) composite microparticles as injectable scaffolds by a Pickering emulsion route

Hydroxyapatite (HAp)/biodegradable poly(l-lactide–co-ε-caprolactone) (P(LA/CL)) composite microparticles were fabricated as an injectable scaffold via the Pickering emulsion route in the absence of any molecular surfactants. A stable oil in water emulsion was obtained using water dispersed HAp nanocrystals as the particulate emulsifier and a dichloromethane (CH2Cl2) solution of P(LA/CL) as the oil phase. The concentration–viscosity relationship of the P(LA/CL) solution and its influence on the formation of a stable emulsion were investigated. The dependence of homogenization on the concentration of the P(LA/CL) solution and shear speed of homogenization was also evaluated. HAp/P(LA/CL) microparticles of various morphologies, such as plates and spheres, or with various surface morphologies were realized through adjustment of the concentration and composition of the P(LA/CL) solution. The microparticles were observed by optical microscopy and scanning electronic microscopy and their size distributions measured using a microparticle size analyzer. The weight percentages of HAp nanocrystals on the HAp/P(LA/CL) microparticles of different average sizes were measured by thermogravimetric analysis.