Surface modification of hydroxyapatite with enzyme-catalyzed reaction: Computation-supported experimental studies

Surface modification of the selected particles for different uses (chemical, biological or commercial applications) is a frequently adopted method for industrial and scientific purposes. Thus, the molecules determined for the targeted applications can be attached to particles. However, these methods occur in several steps, at high temperatures, and for long periods of time and require the involvement of chemicals. Chemicals used in the environment and under harsh conditions lead to some restrictions (such as monomer variety and application areas) and cause energy and time loss. Presumably, these problems could be largely avoided by using enzymes, which are natural biocatalysts, in the surface modification of particles. Given this presumption, a surface modification design was devised in this study to modify the hydroxyapatite surface with methacrylic acid using the lipase enzyme. The chemical structures of the particles were characterized through Fourier Transform Infrared and Raman spectroscopy, their thermal behaviors were analyzed with thermogravimetric analysis, and simultaneous molecular modeling studies were conducted to corroborate the experimental studies.