Mineralization of Chitosan Membrane Using a Double Diffusion System for Bone Related Applications

Chitosan membranes were subjected to a pre-treatment in a double diffusion system, with
a calcium solution in one chamber and a phosphate solution in the other chamber. Both chambers
were separated by the chitosan membrane and subject to three mineralization periods (5, 10 and 15
minutes). After this pre-treatment the bioactivity of the different calcium phosphate coatings formed
was tested for different periods of immersion time, 7, 14 and 21 days at room temperature and 37ºC,
in acellular simulated body fluid (1.0x). The results obtained demonstrated that the calcium
phosphate coatings formed during the pre-treatment process are bioactive. It was found that the
calcification is effective just in the side of the membrane exposed to the calcium solution chamber.
This enabled to develop membranes with asymmetric osteoinductive properties that can be useful in
different orthopedic applications