Abstract
Phosphate glass, a type of bioactive glass using P2O5 as network former, has emerged as a promising biomaterial due to its unique properties, attracting increasing attention in the biomedical field. This thesis focuses on the newly discovered photothermal properties of phosphate glass, aiming to apply it to bone tumor therapy to address the dual challenges of tumor recurrence prevention and bone defect repair.Firstly, Fe-doped or Cu-doped phosphate glasses with photothermal properties were developed. Their photothermal mechanism and performance were studied. These glasses demonstrated excellent photothermal effects that effectively killed tumor cells while releasing bioactive ions to promote bone cell proliferation and osteogenic differentiation during degradation. Based on this, phosphate glass fibers (PGFs) were integrated into 3D-printed polylactic acid (PLA) composite scaffolds. The incorporation of PGF enhanced the mechanical properties of the scaffolds. These scaffolds achieved a "four-in-one" function of photothermal anti-tumor, bone repair promotion, spontaneous degradation, and mechanical support. Finally, a novel near-infrared (NIR)-responsive shape memory composite, combining PGF and PLA, was developed to address the issue of poor bone-implant integration. This composite featured a shape memory effect remotely actuated by NIR light, improving implant adaptability to bone defects. The composite was also degradable and exhibited enhanced mechanical properties, making it a promising material for bone defect reconstruction.
Overall, this thesis contributes to bone tumor treatment by developing photothermal phosphate glass, offering multifunctional materials that combine tumor ablation, bone regeneration, biodegradability, and mechanical stability.
| Date of Award | 17 Mar 2025 |
|---|---|
| Original language | English |
| Awarding Institution |
|
| Supervisor | Xiaoling Liu (Supervisor), Xiaosu Yi (Supervisor) & Ping Cui (Supervisor) |