title: Effects of fibre reinforcement on the mechanical properties of brushite cement.
abstract: In this study the effect of structure and amount of polyglactin fibre incorporation into a brushite forming calcium phosphate cement system and the effect of mechanical compaction on the fibre modified system were investigated. In comparison the effect of resorbable polycaprolactone surface coating of cement specimens was investigated. The results showed that, apart from the mechanical properties of the reinforcing material, the structure of the incorporated fibres, regular or random, is crucial for the resulting flexural strength and modulus of elasticity. Fibre reinforcement could also be combined with mechanical compaction of the cement/fibre composite paste leading to a possible 7-fold increase in flexural strength or an almost 5-fold increase in modulus of elasticity. Reinforcement of the tensile surface of cement grafts may ultimately improve strength where required, especially in conjunction with bone fixation devices.
authors.affiliation: School of Engineering, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: N J S
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Gorst
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Perrie
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Gbureck
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Hutton
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Hofmann
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Grover
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Barralet
mesh_terms: D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D001843:Bone Cements / Q000737:chemistry*; D002130:Calcium Phosphates / Q000737:chemistry*; D020099:Coated Materials, Biocompatible; D004548:Elasticity; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008422:Materials Testing; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction
chemical_list: D001843:Bone Cements; D002130:Calcium Phosphates; D020099:Coated Materials, Biocompatible; C494366:calcium phosphate, dibasic, dihydrate