Three-dimensional nanocomposites exhibit unexpected mechanical and biological
properties that are produced from two-dimensional graphene nanoplatelets
and oxide materials. In the present study, various composites of microwave-synthesized
nanohydroxyapatite (nHAp) and graphene nanoparticles (GNPs), (100
–
x
)HAp–
x
GNPs (
x
= 0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, and 0.5 wt %), were successfully synthesized
using a scalable bottom-up approach, that is, a solid-state reaction
method. The structural, morphological and mechanical properties were
studied using various characterization techniques such as X-ray diffraction
(XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy
(TEM), and universal testing machine (UTM). XRD studies revealed that
the prepared composites have high-order crystallinity. Addition of
GNPs into nHAp significantly improved the mechanical properties. Three-dimensional
nanocomposite 99.5HAp–0.5GNPs exhibited exceptionally high
mechanical properties, for example, a fracture toughness of ∼116
MJ/m
3
, Young’s modulus of ∼98 GPa, and compressive
strength of 96.04 MPa, which were noticed to be much greater than
in the pure nHAp. The MTT assay and cell imaging behaviors were carried
out on the gut tissues of
Drosophila
third instars
larvae and on primary rat osteoblast cells for the sample 99.5HAp–0.5GNPs
that have achieved the highest mechanical properties. The treatment
with lower concentrations of 10 μg/mL on the gut tissues of
Drosophila
and 1 and 5 μg/mL of this composite sample
showed favorable cell viability. Therefore, owing to the excellent
porous nature, interconnected surface morphology, and mechanical and
biological properties, the prepared composite sample 99.5HAp–0.5GNPs
stood as a promising biomaterial for bone implant applications.