Weng Hong Tham, Mat Uzir Wahit, Mohammed Rafiq Abdul Kadir, and Tuck Whye Wong

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Abstract

In this project, novel hydroxyapatite (HAp)/poly(sorbitol sebacate malate) (PSSM) composites for potential application in soft tissue engineering were developed. The composites consist of the biodegradable polyester prepared from sorbitol,
sebacic acid, malic acid and various amount of HAp (5, 10, and 15 wt%). Effects of different weight percents of HAp on the
properties of the composites were studied. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy was performed to analyze chemical interactions between HAp/PSSM. Tensile tests and differential scanning calorimetry were conducted to evaluate the mechanical
and thermal properties of HAp/PSSM composites. Tensile testing on HAp/PSSM composites showed that their mechanical
properties improved with increasing concentration of HAp. The Young’s modulus and tensile strength of the composites
ranged from 16.20±1.73 to 23.96±2.56 MPa and 626.96±81.04 to 1,026.46±105.12 MPa, respectively. The glass transition temperature of all samples was slightly higher than room temperature.