Water-bearable nacre-inspired composite via matrix-induced rapid mineralization as potential compact bone repair material

The mechanical properties of mineral-based structural composite materials can be notably improved by bioinspired multiscale structure designs, which benefits their practical applications. Matrix-induced mineralization process has proved an efficient way to synthesize bioinspired mineral-based composites. However, although it is much faster than the growth of natural biominerals, this process still consumes considerable time to produce a composite with limited size. We herein report a combinational fabrication strategy that integrates rapid organic matrix layer-induced mineralization and layer lamination. While the strategy is featured for time saving compared with previous methods based on mineralization, the size of the final composite can be increased simply by using larger layers. Macroscopic and microscopic mechanical characterizations of the composite reveal its good mechanical performance. More importantly, by spraying a water-insoluble polymer coating on each mineralized layer, the composite exhibits enhanced tolerance to water that wet samples retain good mechanical properties. Besides, the composite inherits the biocompatibility of its raw materials. These advantages ensure the application of such composite as compact bone repair material.