title: Influence of the intramedullary nail preparation method on nail's mechanical properties and degradation rate.
abstract: When it comes to the treatment of long bone fractures, scientists are still investigating new materials for intramedullary nails and different manufacturing methods. Some of the most promising materials used in the field are resorbable polymers and their composites, especially since there is a wide range of potential manufacturing and processing methods. The aim of this work was to select the best manufacturing method and technological parameters to obtain multiphase, and multifunctional, biodegradable intramedullary nails. All composites were based on a poly(l-lactide) matrix. Either magnesium alloy wires or carbon and alginate fibres were introduced in order to reinforce the nails. The polylactide matrix was also modified with tricalcium phosphate and gentamicin sulfate. The composite nails were manufactured using three different methods: forming from solution, injection moulding and hot pressing. The effect of each method of manufacturing on mechanical properties and degradation rate of the nails was evaluated. The study showed that injection moulding provides higher uniformity and homogeneity of the particle-modified polylactide matrix, whereas hot pressing favours applying higher volume fractions of fibres and their better impregnation with the polymer matrix. Thus, it was concluded that the fabrication method should be individually selected dependently on the nail's desired phase composition.
authors.affiliation: AGH University of Science and Technology, Faculty of Materials Science and Ceramics, Department of Biomaterials, al. A. Mickiewicza 30, 30-059 Krakow, Poland. Electronic address: morawska@agh.edu.pl.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Morawska-Chochół
authors.affiliation: AGH University of Science and Technology, Faculty of Materials Science and Ceramics, Department of Biomaterials, al. A. Mickiewicza 30, 30-059 Krakow, Poland.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chłopek
authors.affiliation: AGH University of Science and Technology, Faculty of Materials Science and Ceramics, Department of Biomaterials, al. A. Mickiewicza 30, 30-059 Krakow, Poland.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Szaraniec
authors.affiliation: AGH University of Science and Technology, Faculty of Materials Science and Ceramics, Department of Biomaterials, al. A. Mickiewicza 30, 30-059 Krakow, Poland.
authors.forename: Patrycja
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Domalik-Pyzik
authors.affiliation: AGH University of Science and Technology, Faculty of Materials Science and Ceramics, Department of Biomaterials, al. A. Mickiewicza 30, 30-059 Krakow, Poland.
authors.forename: Ewa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Balacha
authors.affiliation: Lodz University of Technology, Faculty of Material Technologies and Textile Design, Department of Material and Commodity Sciences and Textile Metrology, ul. Żeromskiego 116, 90-924 Lodz, Poland.
authors.forename: Maciej
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Boguń
authors.affiliation: Association "HEALTH", ul. Kosciuszki 191, 40-525 Katowice, Poland; IEE-Group, Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Rafael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kucharski
mesh_terms: D000464:Alginates / Q000737:chemistry*; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry*; D001858:Bone Nails; D002244:Carbon / Q000737:chemistry*; D000077482:Carbon Fiber; D055119:Elastic Modulus; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D005594:Fracture Fixation, Intramedullary / Q000295:instrumentation*; D020723:Glucuronic Acid / Q000737:chemistry; D006244:Hardness; D006361:Heating / Q000379:methods; D006603:Hexuronic Acids / Q000737:chemistry; D008274:Magnesium / Q000737:chemistry*; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D013718:Tensile Strength
chemical_list: D000464:Alginates; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D000077482:Carbon Fiber; D006603:Hexuronic Acids; D002244:Carbon; D020723:Glucuronic Acid; D008274:Magnesium
keywords: Biodegradable composites; Forming from solution; Hot pressing; Injection moulding; Intramedullary nails