Reduced graphene oxide-grafted bovine serum albumin/bredigite nanocomposites with high mechanical properties and excellent osteogenic bioactivity for bone tissue engineering

The optimization of the scaffolds to provide a suitable matrix and accelerate the regeneration process is vital for bone tissue engineering. However, poor mechanical and biological characteristics remain the primary challenges that must be addressed. For example, although bredigite (Br) has shown great potential for application in bone tissue engineering, it easily fails in replacement. In the present work, these challenges are addressed by reinforcing the Br matrix with nanosheets of graphene oxide (rGO) that have been reduced by bovine serum albumin (BSA) in order to enhance the mechanical properties and biological behavior. The reduction of graphene oxide by BSA improves the water stability of the nanosheets and provides an electrostatic interaction between the BSA-rGO nanosheets and the Br particles. The high thermal conductivity of the BSA-rGO nanosheets decreases the porosity of the Br by transferring heat to the core of the tablet. Furthermore, the addition of BSA-rGO nanosheets into the Br matrix enhances the adhesion of G-292 cells on the surface of the tablets. These findings suggest that the tablet consisting of BSA-rGO-reinforced Br has encouraging potential for application in bone tissue engineering.