MSE 4231
BIOMATERIALS
Biocomposites
Course Conducted By-
Fatema-Tuz-Zahra
Lecturer,
Dept. of MSE, KUET.
Introduction
In recent years, scientific research has been focused to develop variety of biomedical composite
materials because they are new alternative solutions for load-bearing tissue components.
Composite scaffolds with porous structure tailored from combinations of bioglass particles and
biodegradable polymers with mechanical properties that are close to cancellous bone are
potentially in use. Hard-tissue applications such as skull reconstruction, bone fracture repair, total
knee, ankle, dental, hip, and other joint replacement applications are possible with fiber-
reinforced composite materials.
The main advantage of the composite biomaterials is though the individual metals or ceramic
materials suffer from disadvantages like exhibition of low biocompatibility and corrosion by metals,
brittleness, and low fracture strength by ceramic materials, the composite materials provide
alternative route to improve many undesirable properties of homogenous materials (metals or
ceramics).
Introduction
The properties of the constituent materials have significant influence on composite biomaterials.
One of the factor “linear expansion” plays a crucial role in designing composite biomaterial. Often
composites are made from constituents that have similar linear expansion constants. If the
constituent materials possess distinct linear expansion constants, contact area (interface) between
reinforcement and matrix materials can generate large voids through the contact surface, which
blots the purpose of the implant. Therefore, more care is required in selection of individual
constituents while processing the composite biomaterial by bone tissue engineers.
Biomedical composites have been investigated for different orthopedic applications including
bone fracture repair, total joint replacement (for hip, knee, etc.) and repair of connective tissues
such as tendon and ligament.
Orthopedic Applications
The composites are divided into three categories:
biostable composites, partially biodegradable composites, and fully degradable composites.
CF/epoxy and glass fiber/epoxy were early nonbiodegradable composites investigated for internal fixation
but there were concerns on potential toxicity of residual monomers.
Bioinert CF/PEEK, which has comparable mechanical properties to metallic
devices, was also studied for internal fixation use. However, biodegradable
composites have now gained attention with the advantage of avoiding a
second surgery to take out the device after bone healing. The matrix
materials for biodegradable internal fixation systems are usually FDA-approved
biodegradable polymers (PLA, PLGA, PCL, etc.). These polymers have
insufficient strength and hence mechanical reinforcement by CF or resorbable
bioceramic particles is usually used, resulting in partially biodegradable
composites or fully biodegradable composites.
Composites such as CF/PSU and CF/PEEK were investigated for the stem
of hip prosthesis.
Orthopedic Applications
Benefits of using Carbon fiber in biocomposites:
1. Carbon fiber acting as polymer coated electrically conducting micro-biocircuits appear to
provide biocompatible semi-antioxidant property to remove damaging electron free
radicals from the surrounding implant surface.
2. Remove excess electrons produced from the cellular mitochondrial electron transport
chain
3. High density and strength close to bone for stress transfer and electrical properties that
enhance bone tissue formation
Orthopedic Applications
CF/UHMWPE composite was investigated for the acetabulur cup but caused concern on the
production of CF debris during wear of the cup.
Composites have also been investigated for the substitution tendon and ligament. Although some
successes have been achieved by the use of tendon/ligament prostheses made of either
nondegradable fibrous composites (PET/PHEMA, aramid fiber/PE, CF/PTFE, etc.) or partially
degradable composites (CF/PLA, CF/PU, etc.) which have comparable mechanical properties
(elastic properties) to those of native tendon and ligament
There are still great challenges for these prostheses such as bonding to bone, which requires
further multidisciplinary efforts in biology, chemistry, and materials sciences.
Since the concept of bone analogue biomaterial was introduced, a variety of bioactive ceramic-
polymer composites have been investigated for bone substitution. HAp/HDPE was the first
successful composite material for bone tissue repair in the clinic.
Nanoclay and Nanosilicates
HAp and ZnO nanocomposites
Antibiofilm activity in a ratio of 90:10, 75:25, and
60:40 nHAP and ZnO NPs
Increasing the proportion of ZnO NPs in the
nanocomposite prevented bacterial
infection in orthopedic implants
Antimicrobial Nanocomposites in Food
Packaging
Nanocomposite based
on chitosan and
nanosized titanium
dioxide (TiO2).
It is reported that 1%
TiO2 was optimal for
antimicrobial properties
against gram (−) and (+)
bacteria and fungi.
Chitosan/Nanoparticle Nanocomposites
Bionanocomposites for In Situ Drug Delivery in
Cancer Therapy
Cancer is a general word for a complex
category of diseases described by
unregulated cellular processes such as growth
and death.
Conventional cancer management
embraces surgical procedure, systemic
chemotherapy (CT), and radiotherapy (RT).
The CT therapeutics frequently damage
normal cells developing severe side effects.
Among all advantages of bionanocomposites, this approach can avoid nanoparticle (NP)
agglomeration during nanocomposite preparation by using a polymeric matrix where the NP
can be dispersed.
Bionanocomposite is a two-phase system,
where, at least one part had a nanosized
dimension (lower than 100 nm) and the word
“bio” indicates the use of biodegradable
material
Show great properties
related to effective therapy
of cancer such as
increased thermal stability,
enhanced tensile strength,
reduced side effects and
improved targeting.
Example: Inorganic based
nanocomposites, Clay-
based nanocomposites,
Metal based
nanocomposites
