Phosphate-Loaded PVA Nanofibers Show Enhanced Bone-Like Mineralization

Electrospun poly(vinyl alcohol) nanofibers enriched with calcium and magnesium phosphates have shown markedly improved biomineralization behavior, according to a peer-reviewed study published in Scientific Reports. The research, led by Fatemeh Habibi and colleagues, describes nanocomposite scaffolds designed to mimic key features of bone tissue for use in bone tissue engineering. The team fabricated scaffolds by electrospinning PVA solutions containing monocalcium phosphate (MCP) and magnesium phosphate (MgP) nanoparticles.

Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy revealed that the nanoparticles interact with PVA chains through non-covalent forces, including hydrogen bonds and electrostatic attractions, confirming their successful incorporation into the fibrous matrices rather than simple physical mixing. Nanoparticle loading had a pronounced effect on fiber morphology. Adding 0.5 w/v% of either phosphate reduced the average fiber diameter from 541 nm in a PVA/surfactant formulation to 284 nm for PVA/MCP and 257 nm for PVA/MgP, while also producing narrower fiber diameter distributions.

When concentrations were raised from 0.5 to 1.5 w/v%, the average diameter varied non-linearly, first increasing and then decreasing with further loading. Thermal analysis showed that the strong intermolecular interactions between the polymer and the phosphate phase improved the stability of the composite scaffolds. The temperature of maximum degradation rate rose from 280 °C for neat PVA to 290 °C for PVA/MCP and 300 °C for PVA/MgP, indicating that the dispersed nanoparticles reinforce the polymer matrix at the molecular level.

The most striking findings emerged from immersion testing in simulated body fluid at 37 °C for 21 days. Scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray analysis, and X-ray diffraction confirmed substantial surface mineralization and phase transformation in both composite systems. The two phosphate additives produced distinctly different mineral products: PVA/MCP scaffolds predominantly developed hydroxyapatite-like calcium phosphate, whereas PVA/MgP scaffolds exhibited newberyite and bobierrite phases, both magnesium-containing phosphate minerals.

According to the authors, the results demonstrate that incorporating MCP and MgP modulates both the physicochemical properties and the biomineralization behavior of electrospun PVA nanofibers. This tunability could allow researchers to select additive type and concentration to steer the surface chemistry of scaffolds toward specific mineral phases. The work remains a laboratory-scale materials study, and the findings offer a foundation for designing bone-mimetic nanofibrous scaffolds whose intrinsic bioactivity can be adjusted through phosphate nanoparticle incorporation, a direction the authors identify as pivotal for bone tissue engineering applications.

Subject of Research: Electrospun PVA nanofiber scaffolds incorporating calcium and magnesium phosphates for bone tissue engineering

Article Title: Bioactive phosphate-containing electrospun PVA nanofibers incorporating calcium phosphate and magnesium phosphate

Article References: Habibi, F., Salimi-Kenari, H., Nabavi, S. R., & Nikpour, P. (2026). Bioactive phosphate-containing electrospun PVA nanofibers incorporating calcium phosphate and magnesium phosphate. Scientific Reports. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-77740-x

Image Credits: AI Generated

DOI: 10.1038/s41598-026-77740-x

Keywords: electrospinning, PVA nanofibers, monocalcium phosphate, magnesium phosphate, biomineralization, hydroxyapatite, bone tissue engineering, simulated body fluid, nanocomposite scaffolds, thermal stability, Bioactive, phosphate-containing