Mechanical properties and biocompatibility of biodegradable iron-natural hydroxyapatite composites

Recent advancements in biodegradable implants for bone restoration have focused on the integration of bioactive materials to enhance interactions between the implants and surrounding biological environments. The incorporation of bioactive components accelerates bone regeneration and improves osteoconductivity by promoting osteoblast cell growth. In this study, the bioactive materials used came from natural resources, specifically chicken bones and fish bones from leftover restaurant food that had been cooked and processed. The findings indicate that, compared to pure iron, the addition of bioactive materials lowers the corrosion potential of the composites while slightly increasing their corrosion rate. Furthermore, cell viability tests reveal that bioactive Fe composites exhibit higher osteoblast activity than pure Fe, particularly when fish bone-derived materials are used. These results underscore the beneficial effects of incorporating bioactive substances into Fe-based materials, suggesting that Fe–bioactive composites hold significant promise for biodegradable implant applications.