High-throughput synthesis of zinc-functionalized bio-ceramics propels the rational design of bone implants.

Abstract

Endowing basic ceramics with functional elements effectively improves their physicochemical and biological properties. Nevertheless, these properties are strongly influenced by particle size, thermodynamic and kinetic conditions, and lattice structure. Such complexity requires extensive trial-and-error optimization, greatly limiting materials development efficiency. To overcome this challenge, we established a high-throughput synthesis platform that enables precise control over the morphologies and crystalline phases of zinc-doped calcium phosphate (Zn-CaPs) by independently manipulating 18 reaction times and 48 reaction temperatures, facilitating the execution of up to 144 experiments concurrently. The potential mechanisms by which system concentration, zinc/calcium ratio, pH, reaction time, temperature, and binary solvent concentration influence the crystallization of Zn-CaPs were investigated. The Zn-CaPs exhibited remarkable cytocompatibility, osteogenic bioactivity, and antibacterial properties. A porous scaffold (Zn-CaPS) fabricated from Zn-CaPs demonstrated a strength of over twice that of a commercial CaPs scaffold. Notably, after 6 and 12 weeks of implantation in a rabbit femoral defect model, the Zn-CaP scaffold achieved over 4-fold and 2-fold higher BV/TV than the control and commercial CaPs scaffolds, respectively. This work develops an innovative material genome framework for high-performance ion-doped bioceramics. It integrates high-throughput design, synthesis, and performance evaluation to accelerate R&D and yield socioeconomic benefits.