Work

Combustion assisted sol-gel synthesis of larnite using different fuels for tissue engineering applications

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Larnite (Ca₂SiO₄) has attracted considerable attention for bone tissue engineering because of its favorable bioactivity, controlled ionic dissolution, and ability to support apatite formation. In this study, phase-pure nanocrystalline larnite was synthesized through sol-gel combustion route using tartaric acid and L-alanine as fuels to investigate the influence of fuel chemistry on its physicochemical and biological properties. Comprehensive material characterization was conducted using thermal gravimetric analysis (TG/DTA), powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Both fuel systems produced single-phase monoclinic larnite at 800 °C without detectable secondary crystalline phases. In-vitro bioactivity studies demonstrated progressive hydroxyapatite formation after immersion in simulated body fluid, with tartaric acid-derived larnite exhibiting comparatively enhanced apatite deposition. ICP-OES analysis revealed an initial release of Ca²⁺ and Si⁴⁺ ions into the surrounding medium, followed by a gradual decline in Ca and P ion concentrations due to apatite nucleation and growth, confirming the controlled dissolution behavior of larnite. Antibacterial evaluation showed effective growth inhibition against nine clinically relevant bacterial pathogens at a concentration of 2 mg/mL, while MG63 cell viability assays demonstrated high cytocompatibility, with approximately 97.3% cell viability at 6.25 µg mL⁻¹ for both compositions. Among the investigated fuels, tartaric acid-derived larnite exhibited comparatively improved apatite formation and cytocompatibility. Overall, the findings suggest that combustion-derived larnite possesses favorable bioactivity, controlled ionic dissolution, antibacterial activity, and cytocompatibility, highlighting its potential for bone tissue engineering applications.

Source: Scientific Reports

DOI: 10.1038/s41598-026-66043-w