Bioinspired Zinc-doped Nano Hydroxyapatite Reinforced Poly(lactic acid) Composites for Bone Repair

Hong-Xiang Yin; Yang Wang; Yi-Fei Wu; Jin-Jing Li; Xiao Kong; Wen-Hao Mei; Ze-Tong Wang; Chun-Sheng Xiao; Cheng Zhang; Zhan-Fu Cong; Irshad Hussain; Zhao-Hui Tang; Wei Yan

doi:10.1007/s10118-026-3761-z

Your Location：

Home >

Browse articles >

Bioinspired Zinc-doped Nano Hydroxyapatite Reinforced Poly(lactic acid) Composites for Bone Repair

RESEARCH ARTICLE | Updated：2026-08-31

- Bioinspired Zinc-doped Nano Hydroxyapatite Reinforced Poly(lactic acid) Composites for Bone Repair
- Chinese Journal of Polymer Science Vol. 44, Issue 9, Pages: 3017-3025(2026)
- Affiliations：
  
  a.Key Laboratory of Green Preparation and Application for Functional Materials of Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials, School of Material Science and Engineering, Hubei University, Wuhan 430062, China
  b.State Key Laboratory of Polymer Science and Technology, Key Laboratory of Polymer Ecomaterials, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022, China
  c.School of Life Science, Hubei University, Wuhan 430062, China
  d.Changchun SinoBiomaterials Co., Ltd., Changchun 130103, China
  e.Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, SBA School of Science and Engineering, Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS), DHA, Lahore 54792, Pakistan
- Author bio：
  
  zhangcheng1988@hubu.edu.cn (C.Z.)
  ztang@ciac.ac.cn (Z.H.T.)
  willieyan2003@hubu.edu.cn (W.Y.)
- Funds：
- DOI：10.1007/s10118-026-3761-z
  CLC：
- Received：01 April 2026，
  
  Accepted：29 May 2026，
  
  Online First：20 July 2026，
  
  Published：05 September 2026
- Accepted：
Scan QR Code
Yin, H. X.; Wang, Y.; Wu, Y. F.; Li, J. J.; Kong, X.; Mei, W. H.; Wang, Z. T.; Xiao, C. S.; Zhang, C.; Cong, Z. F.; Hussain, I.; Tang, Z. H.; Yan, W. Bioinspired zinc-doped nano hydroxyapatite reinforced poly(lactic acid) composites for bone repair. Chinese J. Polym. Sci. 2026, 44, 3017–3025

Hong-Xiang Yin, Yang Wang, Yi-Fei Wu, et al. Bioinspired Zinc-doped Nano Hydroxyapatite Reinforced Poly(lactic acid) Composites for Bone Repair[J]. Chinese Journal of Polymer Science, 2026, 44(9): 3017-3025.
Yin, H. X.; Wang, Y.; Wu, Y. F.; Li, J. J.; Kong, X.; Mei, W. H.; Wang, Z. T.; Xiao, C. S.; Zhang, C.; Cong, Z. F.; Hussain, I.; Tang, Z. H.; Yan, W. Bioinspired zinc-doped nano hydroxyapatite reinforced poly(lactic acid) composites for bone repair. Chinese J. Polym. Sci. 2026, 44, 3017–3025 DOI： 10.1007/s10118-026-3761-z.

Hong-Xiang Yin, Yang Wang, Yi-Fei Wu, et al. Bioinspired Zinc-doped Nano Hydroxyapatite Reinforced Poly(lactic acid) Composites for Bone Repair[J]. Chinese Journal of Polymer Science, 2026, 44(9): 3017-3025. DOI： 10.1007/s10118-026-3761-z.

摘要

Bioinspired PLA/Zn-HA composites were prepared

via

melt blending method. 10 wt% sample shows optimal mechanical performance

degradation control and bioactivity

providing promising strategy for bone repair.

Abstract

Bone defects remain a major clinical challenge due to the slow rate of recovery

complex surgical procedures

and great impact on the lives of patients. Therefore

the development of biocompatible

durable

degradable artificial bone grafts is highly desirable. Inspired by the natural composition of human bone

this study reports the fabrication of poly(lactic acid) (PLA)/zinc-doped hydroxyapatite (Zn-HA) composite materials

via

the melt blending method. The chemical properties

mechanical performance

degradability

and biocompatibility of the composites were evaluated systematically. Among them

the 10 wt% PLA/Zn-HA composite exhibited optimal performance

including high tensile and flexural strengths

superior thermal stability

and the lowest degradation rate. Controlled degradation and sustained release of zinc ions further enhance osteoblast activity with low cytotoxicity. Furthermore

Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP) activity and Alizarin Red S (ARS) staining confirmed that the 10 wt% PLA/Zn-HA composite significantly promoted osteogenic differentiation. By simultaneously achieving mechanical reliability and enhanced biological prop

erties

this study provides promising design criteria for next-generation artificial bone grafts for bone defect repair.

关键词

Keywords

references

Shen, N.; Zhang, Z.; Wu, F.; Zhu, Z.; Liu, J.; Qi, X.; Li, Q.; Wang, X.; Ma, Q.; Xiang, H. Advances in self-powered biomaterials for bone defect repair. Adv. Compos. Hybrid Mater. 2024 , 8 , 38..

Chen, N.; Luo, F.; Yang, G.; Yao, J.; Chen, X.; Shao, Z. Production of functional materials derived from regenerated silk fibroin by utilizing 3d printing and biomimetic enzyme-induced mineralization. Chinese J. Polym. Sci. 2024 , 42 , 299−310..

Yu, Y.; Chen, R.; Chen, X.; Wang, J.; Liu, C. Regulating the bioactivity of non-glycosylated recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 to enhance bone regeneration. Bioact. Mater. 2024 , 38 , 169−180..

Chen, R.; Wang, J.; Liu, C. Biomaterials act as enhancers of growth factors in bone regeneration. Adv. Funct. Mater. 2016 , 26 , 8810−8823..

Xue, P.; Wang, J.; Fu, Y.; He, H.; Gan, Q.; Liu, C. Material-mediated immunotherapy to regulate bone aging and promote bone repair. Small 2025 , 21 , 2409886..

Wei, W.; Dai, H. Articular cartilage and osteochondral tissue engineering techniques: recent advances and challenges. Bioact. Mater. 2021 , 6 , 4830−4855..

[Chen X, C. H. in Biomedical polymers . China Science Press, Beijing, 2018 , p. 22−29..

[Chen X. in Degradable medical polymer materials . China Science Press, Beijing, 2020 , p. 43−47..

Derksen, W.; Joda, T.; Chantler, J.; Fehmer, V.; Gallucci, G. O.; Gierthmuehlen, P. C.; Ioannidis, A.; Karasan, D.; Lanis, A.; Pala, K.; Pjetursson, B. E.; Roccuzzo, M.; Sailer, I.; Strauss, F. J.; Sun, T. C.; Wolfart, S.; Zitzmann, N. U. Group 2 iti consensus report: Technological developments in implant prosthetics. Clin. Oral. Implan. Res. 2023 , 34 , 104−111..

Zou, W.; Li, X.; Li, N.; Guo, T.; Cai, Y.; Yang, X.; Liang, J.; Sun, Y.; Fan, Y. A comparative study of autogenous, allograft and artificial bone substitutes on bone regeneration and immunotoxicity in rat femur defect model. Regener. Biomater. 2021 , 8 , 1−11..

Chen, X.; Wu, W.; Zhu, W.; Zhou, J.; Chen, J.; Lin, Z.; Zhang, S.; Caruso, F.; Liu, C. Regulation of bone remodeling by metal–phenolic networks for the treatment of systemic osteoporosis. ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces 2025 , 17 , 5995−6008..

Cai, M.; Yang, F.; Yang, X.; Hu, S.; Huang, L.; Hu, Y.; Jiang, X.; Liu, J. A thermoplastic and visualizable bone scaffold dynamically enhances hemostasis and osteogenesis in bone defects. Adv. Funct. Mater. 2026 , 36 , e31292..

Sadeghzade, S.; Liu, J.; Wang, H.; Li, X.; Cao, J.; Cao, H.; Tang, B.; Yuan, H. Recent advances on bioactive baghdadite ceramic for bone tissue engineering applications: 20 years of research and innovation (a review). Mater. Today Bio 2022 , 17 , 100473..

Pourhajrezaei, S.; Abbas, Z.; Khalili, M. A.; Madineh, H.; Jooya, H.; Babaeizad, A.; Gross, J. D.; Samadi, A. Bioactive polymers: A comprehensive review on bone grafting biomaterials. Int. J. Biol. Macromol. 2024 , 278 , 134615..

Zhang, J.; Jiang, Y.; Shang, Z.; Zhao, B.; Jiao, M.; Liu, W.; Cheng, M.; Zhai, B.; Guo, Y.; Liu, B.; Shi, X.; Ma, B. Biodegradable metals for bone defect repair: a systematic review and meta-analysis based on animal studies. Bioact. Mater. 2021 , 6 , 4027−4052..

Li, Y.; Wang, L.; Li, J.; Zeng, P.; Guan, S.; Yang, H.; Liu, J.; Zheng, Y. Mechanically governed fracture resistance of biodegradable zn-cu alloy stents: Role of ring-length optimized structural design. Bioact. Mater. 2026 , 61 , 730−742..

Tian, H.; Tang, Z.; Zhuang, X.; Chen, X.; Jing, X. Biodegradable synthetic polymers: Preparation, functionalization and biomedical application. Prog. Polym. Sci. 2012 , 37 , 237−280..

Tang, Z.; He, C.; Tian, H.; Ding, J.; Hsiao, B. S.; Chu, B.; Chen, X. Polymeric nanostructured materials for biomedical applications. Prog. Polym. Sci. 2016 , 60 , 86−128..

Yu, X.; Jin, X.; Huang, T.; Zhang, N.; Li, X.; Wang, Y. Poly(methyl methacrylate)-induced microstructure and hydrolysis behavior changes of poly( L-lactic acid)/carbon nanotubes composites. Chinese J. Polym. Sci. 2020 , 38 , 195−204..

Zhang, Z.; Huang, Y.; Ma, C.; Zhang, G. Progress in polymer-ceramic hybrid antifouling coatings. Chinese J. Polym. Sci. 2023 , 41 , 995−1001..

Zheng, G.; Han, L.; Ma, T.; Bian, J.; Lin, J.; Zhao, Y.; Pan, H.; Wang, Z.; Zhang, H. Synergistic effects of poly(propylene carbonate) content and pre-stretching on the strength, toughness, and heat resistance of polylactide/poly(propylene carbonate) blends. Chinese J. Polym. Sci. 2026 , 44 , 1142−1153..

Wei, J.; Sun, J.; Wang, H.; Chen, X.; Jing, X. Isothermal crystallization behavior and unique banded spherulites of hydroxyapatite/poly(l-lactide) nanocomposites. Chinese J. Polym. Sci. 2010 , 28 , 499−507..

Li, S.; Zhou, W.; Wu, W.; Shao, J.; Chen, S.; Hou, H.; Xiang, S. The crystallization behavior of L-poly(lactic acid)/polypropylene blends: the acceleration for both L-poly(lactic acid) and polypropylene. Chinese J. Polym. Sci. 2024 , 42 , 775−786..

Tian, N.; Li, Y.; Gan, H.; Ning, Z.; Jiang, N.; Gan, Z. Synergistic effect of multi-arm architecture and molecular weight on crystallization and degradation behavior of star-shaped poly(lactic acid). Chinese J. Polym. Sci. 2024 , 42 , 1948−1956..

Li, Y. P.; Shen, H.; Wang, S.; Zhang, H.; Hu, J.; Xin, R.; Sun, X.; Yan, S. Impact of annealing on the melt recrystallization of a-PDLA/α-PLLA double-layered films. Chinese J. Polym. Sci. 2024 , 42 , 230−238..

Luo, J. B.; Qiu, S.; Wang, Y.; Lai, R.; Xie, X. Preparation and physicochemical properties of hydroxyapatite/polyurethane nanocomposites. Chinese J. Polym. Sci. 2014 , 32 , 467−475..

Yan, D.; Zeng, B.; Han, Y.; Dai, H.; Liu, J.; Sun, Y.; Li, F. Preparation and laser powder bed fusion of composite microspheres consistingof poly(lactic acid) and nano-hydroxyapatite. Addit. Manuf. 2020 , 34 , 101305..

Wang, Y.; Hao, H.; Zhang, S. Lysozyme loading and release from se doped hydroxyapatite nanoparticles. Mater. Sci. Eng.: C 2016 , 61 , 545−552..

Wang, M.; You, L.; Guo, Y.; Jiang, N.; Gan, Z.; Ning, Z. Enhanced crystallization rate of poly(L-lactide)/hydroxyapatite-graft-poly(D-lactide) composite with different processing temperatures. Chinese J. Polym. Sci. 2020 , 38 , 599−610..

Zhou, P.; Wang, J.; Wang, H.; Pan, H.; Shi, H.; Fu, Y.; Yuan, Y.; Wang, Y.; Gan, Q.; Liu, C. Biomimetic 3d printing of photocrosslinkable biodegradable elastomers-modified hybrid scaffolds as instructive platforms for bone tissue regeneration. Smart Mater. Med. 2025 , 6 , 95−107..

Zhang, D.; Huang, Z.; Tong, L.; Gao, F.; Huang, H.; Chen, F.; Liu, C. Self-restoring cryogels used for the repair of hemorrhagic bone defects by modulating blood clots. Chem. Eng. J. 2024 , 490 , 151421..

Chen, S.; Wang, X.; Zhang, D.; Huang, Z.; Xie, Y.; Chen, F.; Liu, C. Tunable piezoelectric plla nanofiber membranes for enhanced mandibular repair with optimal self-powering stimulation. Regener. Biomater. 2025 , 12 , rbae150..

Bai, L.; Li, J.; Li, G.; Zhou, D.; Su, J.; Liu, C. Skeletal interoception and prospective application in biomaterials for bone regeneration. Bone Res. 2025 , 13 , 1..

Pourrahmani, H.; Golparvar, M.; Fasihi, M. A new evaluation criterion for optimizing the mechanical properties of toughened polypropylene/silica nanocomposites. Chinese J. Polym. Sci. 2020 , 38 , 877−887..

Pan, H.; Wang, Y.; Jia, S.; Zhao, Y.; Bian, J.; Yang, H.; Hao, Y.; Han, L.; Zhang, H. Biodegradable poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate)/poly(glycolic acid) films: effect of poly(glycolic acid) crystal on mechanical and barrier properties. Chinese J. Polym. Sci. 2023 , 41 , 1123−1132..

Teng, S.; Jiang, Z.; Qiu, Z. Crystallization behavior and dynamic mechanical properties of poly(ε-caprolactone)/octaisobutyl-polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes composites prepared via different methods. Chinese J. Polym. Sci. 2020 , 38 , 158−163..

Nishi, T.; Fujinami, S.; Wang, D.; Liu, H.; Nakajima, K. Structure and dynamics of polymeric materials in nano-scale. Chinese J. Polym. Sci. 2011 , 29 , 43−52..

Rao, W.; Li, L.; Zhang, S.; Huang, G.; Zheng, J.; Yuan, C.; Huang, Z.; Qu, J. Simultaneous improvement of strength and toughnes s of poly(lactic acid) via multiple dynamic pressure. Chinese J. Polym. Sci. 2025 , 43 , 1602−1615..

Views

Downloads

CSCD

Alert me when the article has been cited

Submit

Tools

Publicity Resources

Enhanced Segment Mobility Promotes Stereocomplex Crystallization in Polymer Blends via Elevated Segmental Miscibility

A Phosphorus/Nitrogen-containing Phosphaphenanthrene Derivative as Flame Retardant for Poly(lactic acid)

Study on the Differences in Crystallization Behavior of Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) Induced by Amide-based and Hydrazide-based Nucleating Agents

Experimental Investigation of Graphene and TiO2 Reinforced Poly(vinyl alcohol)-based Fiber Metal Laminates

Squaramide-directed Cooperative One-dimensional Assembly in Telechelic Polydimethylsiloxane for Hierarchical Network Formation

Related Author

Zi-Xiang Dai

Yi-Jing Nie

Shan Lin

Hong-Yan Zhu

Chun-Meng You

Da-Ming Ban

Jiang-Hua Lin

Wen-Hao Xiao

Related Institution

Institute of Polymer Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Jiangsu University

School of Chemistry and Materials Science, Guizhou Normal University

Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Functional Soft Condensed Matter, School of Materials and Energy, Guangdong University of Technology

Department of Naval Architecture Engineering, Naval University of Engineering

National Key Laboratory for Remanufacturing

⁰