Paper BI+AS+NS-MoM2
Investigation of the Mechanical and Dielectric Properties of Bone Scaffolds

Monday, October 21, 2019, 8:40 am, Room A120-121

Despite the vast number of biomaterials and synthesis technologies available to treat bone defects and disease, few are readily employed for clinical use due in part to challenges in the development of materials that functionally mimic and facilitate the hierarchal processes of bone healing and regeneration. Calcium phosphate based bone replacement materials have been developed over the years for bioengineered bone structures due to their ability to mimic the general properties of mineralized bone. These bone replacement materials have mainly be fabricated in the form of hydroxyapatite (Hap), which can suffer from premature fracture when subjected to typical human load conditions. On the other hand, it is well known that enhanced osteobonding and bone growth results from the exposure of the bone to polarized Hap, which presents a negatively charged surface. Composite hydroxyapatite (Hap) – barium titanate scaffold materials are compared and contrasted with hydroxyapatite (Hap) samples for mechanical elastic moduli, compression strength and dielectric properties. Composite structures were observed to present better mechanical and dielectric properties when compared to HaP samples. For example, the elastic modulus of the HaP and composite samples were 2655.4 MPa and 3559.1 MPa, respectively. Understanding the interrelationship between scaffold architecture/material composition and mechano-transduction will improve our ability to realize patient specific solutions that eliminate hindrances to bone healing such as, lack of vascularization and lack of adequate mechanical stability.