Introducing Hematene as a 2D Nano-Reinforcement for Monetite Scaffolds in Bone Regeneration

Synthetic biomaterials with osteoconductive or osteoinductive capabilities continue to evolve in functionality and expand their potential as viable substitutes for bone autografts. Recent developments with nanomaterial lattices have seen scaffold systems, especially brittle calcium phosphates, optimized for biological and mechanical performance. The addition of 2D atomic layers of carbon (graphene) to ceramic scaffolds is a well-studied avenue that potentially improves strength, functionality, and osteogenic potency; however, concerns of poor bioresorption and concentration-dependent toxicity have limited their translational value. The recent discovery of hematene, an ultrathin 2D nanosheet of iron oxide (Fe₂O₃) with its unique physiochemical properties and potential to be bioresorbable, could present a promising opportunity. In this work, exfoliated ultrathin hematene nanosheets were incorporated into porous monetite implants. In vitro testing with MC3T3-E1 preosteoblasts showed that hematene-loaded scaffolds supported cell infiltration and adhesion with a 24% increase in proliferative activity. The activity of the bioscaffold on cell proliferation and differentiation was evaluated. Findings showed that hematene-loading significantly improved the mechanical compression performance of monetite cements by 20%, without impacting degradation profiles. Furthermore, hematene loading significantly enhanced the osteogenic potency of monetite scaffolds with heightened bone biomarker expression levels of <i>ALP, RUNX2</i>, and <i>SPARC</i>. This preliminary report uncovers the therapeutic potential of hematene derivatives for the first time, particularly as a promising scaffold for bone repair.