Study of biomineralization of poly(vinyl alcohol)‐based scaffolds using an alternate soaking approach

The present work adds to the continuing efforts of designing a natural bone‐like structure by synthesizing a semi‐interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) of poly(vinyl alcohol)–poly[(acrylic acid)‐co‐acrylonitrile] and impregnating hydroxyapatite (HAP) into the polymer matrix by an alternate soaking process. The prepared HAP–polymer scaffolds were characterized using techniques like Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X‐ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis and environmental scanning electron microscopy. The biomineralized semi‐IPN was evaluated for water sorption capacity and the data were utilized for calculating network parameters such as average molecular weight between crosslinks (Mc) and crosslink density (q). The impregnated HAP was quantified as a function of the chemical architecture of the semi‐IPN, number of reaction cycles and temperature of the swelling bath.