Fiber-enriched double-setting calcium phosphate bone cement.
Calcium phosphate bone cements are useful in orthopedics and traumatology, their main advantages being their biocompatibility and bioactivity, which render bone tissue osteoconductive, providing in situ hardening and easy handling. However, their low mechanical strength, which, in the best of cases, is equal to the trabecular bone, and their very low toughness are disadvantages. Calcium phosphate cement compositions with mechanical properties more closely resembling those of human bone would broaden the range of applications, which is currently limited to sites subjected to low loads. This study investigated the influence of added polypropylene, nylon, and carbon fibers on the mechanical properties of double setting alpha-tricalcium phosphate-based cement, using calcium phosphate cement added to an in situ polymerizable acrylamide-based system recently developed by the authors. Although the addition of fibers was found to reduce the compression strength of the double-setting calcium phosphate cement because of increased porosity, it strongly increased the cement's toughness (J(IC)) and tensile strength. The composites developed in this work, therefore, have a potential application in shapes subjected to flexure.
Campinas State University, UNICAMP-FEM, Caixa Postal 6122, 13081-970 Campinas, SP, Brazil. p-las@power.ulfscar.br
Luís Alberto
LA
dos Santos
Raúl Garcia
RG
Carrodéguas
Anselmo Ortega
AO
Boschi
Antônio Celso
AC
Fonseca de Arruda
D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry*; D001826:Body Fluids / Q000737:chemistry; D001843:Bone Cements / Q000737:chemistry*; D002130:Calcium Phosphates / Q000737:chemistry*; D002244:Carbon / Q000737:chemistry; D019245:Compressive Strength; D008422:Materials Testing; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D009757:Nylons / Q000737:chemistry; D011126:Polypropylenes / Q000737:chemistry; D013718:Tensile Strength
D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D001843:Bone Cements; D002130:Calcium Phosphates; D009757:Nylons; D011126:Polypropylenes; C485817:beta-tricalcium phosphate; D002244:Carbon; C018392:tricalcium phosphate