Characterization of porosity of isostatically pressed and sintered nickel-base powdered metal *

Characterization of the pore structure of compacted and sintered parts made from a nickel-base powder was accomplished using the mercury porosimetry method. The theoretical density values for the sintered specimens varied from 56.3 to 96.7% which corresponds to a porosity of 43.7 to 3.3%. A maximum interconnecting median pore diameter of 21 Μm resulted from a −80/+ 200 mesh powder compacted at 138 MN/ m 2 and sintered for 2 h at 1250°C. Photomicrographs of the same sample showed that it had a maximum pore diameter of 200 Μm. The interconnected pore volume decreased with decreasing particle size of the powder, increasing compaction pressure, and increasing sintering temperature. Mechanical properties of tensile strength, yield strength, elastic modulus and percentage elongation were correlated with the pore structure. Proper selection of particle size, compaction pressure, sintering times and sintering temperatures should permit parts with controlled porosity characteristics to be produced that possess adequate mechanical properties for application as implants.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/74821/1/j.1365-2842.1976.tb00947.x.pd

Carbon based prosthetic devices

This is the final report of a one-year, Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) project at the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). The project objective was to evaluate the use of carbon/carbon-fiber-reinforced composites for use in endoprosthetic devices. The application of these materials for the metacarpophalangeal (MP) joints of the hand was investigated. Issues concerning mechanical properties, bone fixation, biocompatibility, and wear are discussed. A system consisting of fiber reinforced materials with a pyrolytic carbon matrix and diamond-like, carbon-coated wear surfaces was developed. Processes were developed for the chemical vapor infiltration (CVI) of pyrolytic carbon into porous fiber preforms with the ability to tailor the outer porosity of the device to provide a surface for bone in-growth. A method for coating diamond-like carbon (DLC) on the articulating surface by plasma-assisted chemical vapor deposition (CVD) was developed. Preliminary results on mechanical properties of the composite system are discussed and initial biocompatibility studies were performed

Stereolithographic Bone Scaffold Design Parameters: Osteogenic Differentiation and Signal Expression

Scaffold design parameters including porosity, pore size, interconnectivity, and mechanical properties have a significant influence on osteogenic signal expression and differentiation. This review evaluates the influence of each of these parameters and then discusses the ability of stereolithography (SLA) to be used to tailor scaffold design to optimize these parameters. Scaffold porosity and pore size affect osteogenic cell signaling and ultimately in vivo bone tissue growth. Alternatively, scaffold interconnectivity has a great influence on in vivo bone growth but little work has been done to determine if interconnectivity causes changes in signaling levels. Osteogenic cell signaling could be also influenced by scaffold mechanical properties such as scaffold rigidity and dynamic relationships between the cells and their extracellular matrix. With knowledge of the effects of these parameters on cellular functions, an optimal tissue engineering scaffold can be designed, but a proper technology must exist to produce this design to specification in a repeatable manner. SLA has been shown to be capable of fabricating scaffolds with controlled architecture and micrometer-level resolution. Surgical implantation of these scaffolds is a promising clinical treatment for successful bone regeneration. By applying knowledge of how scaffold parameters influence osteogenic cell signaling to scaffold manufacturing using SLA, tissue engineers may move closer to creating the optimal tissue engineering scaffold

Biomaterials in orthopaedics

At present, strong requirements in orthopaedics are still to be met, both in bone and joint substitution and in the repair and regeneration of bone defects. In this framework, tremendous advances in the biomaterials field have been made in the last 50 years where materials intended for biomedical purposes have evolved through three different generations, namely first generation (bioinert materials), second generation (bioactive and biodegradable materials) and third generation (materials designed to stimulate specific responses at the molecular level). In this review, the evolution of different metals, ceramics and polymers most commonly used in orthopaedic applications is discussed, as well as the different approaches used to fulfil the challenges faced by this medical field