title: Experimental study of diffusion coefficients of water through the collagen: apatite porosity in human trabecular bone tissue.
abstract: We firstly measured the swelling of single trabeculae from human femur heads during water imbibition. Since the swelling is caused by water diffusing from external surfaces to the core of the sample, by measuring the sample swelling over time, we obtained direct information about the transport of fluids through the intimate constituents of bone, where the mineralization process takes place. We developed an apparatus to measure the free expansion of the tissue during the imbibition. In particular, we measured the swelling along three natural axes (length L, width W, and thickness T) of plate-like trabeculae. For this aim, we developed a 3D analytical model of the water uptake by the sample that was performed according to Fickian transport mechanism. The results were then utilized to predict the swelling over time along the three sample directions (L, W, T) and the apparent diffusion coefficients D T, D W, and D L.
authors: Mechanical and Thermal Measurements Laboratory, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Via Eudossiana, 18-00184 Rome, Italy.
authors: Franco
authors: 0000-0002-4872-2980
authors: F
authors: Marinozzi
authors: Mechanical and Thermal Measurements Laboratory, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Via Eudossiana, 18-00184 Rome, Italy.
authors: Fabiano
authors: F
authors: Bini
authors: Department of Astronautical, Electrical and Energetic Engineering, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Via Eudossiana, 18-00184 Rome, Italy.
authors: Alessandro
authors: 0000-0002-2356-914X
authors: A
authors: Quintino
authors: Department of Astronautical, Electrical and Energetic Engineering, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Via Eudossiana, 18-00184 Rome, Italy.
authors: Massimo
authors: 0000-0003-4099-7506
authors: M
authors: Corcione
authors: Orthopaedics and Traumatology Area, University "Campus Bio-Medico", Via Álvaro del Portillo, 21-00128 Rome, Italy.
authors: Andrea
authors: A
authors: Marinozzi
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001031:Apatites / Q000737:chemistry*; D003094:Collagen / Q000737:chemistry*; D005260:Female; D005270:Femur Head / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D016062:Porosity; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D001031:Apatites; D014867:Water; D003094:Collagen