Abstract
This paper assesses the morphological, structural and
bio-physicochemical stability of natural rubber (NR) Hevea brasiliensis
coatings incorporated with microparticles of calcium phosphate-based
(CaP) bioactive ceramics. Optical and electronic spectroscopic imaging
techniques were employed to successfully evaluate the NR encapsulation
capability and the stability of the coating in a biologically relevant
media for bio-related application, i.e., simulated body fluid (SBF). The
chemical structure of the natural polymer, the microchemical environment
at the NR-CaP interface and the morphology of the CaP clusters were
fully characterized. Further, the response of the hybrid coating to SBF
was evaluated by incubating the samples for 30 days. The hybrid coating
formed on Si surface (inert substrate) exhibited both stability and
biodegradability in different levels (time dependence), thus opening
horizons for applications as coatings for both biomaterials and drug
delivery systems.
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