Biomedical Materials

Catalog description

Properties and methods of producing metallic, ceramic, and polymeric materials used for biomedical applications. BIOE 508 BIOE (MATSC) 508 Biomedical Materials (3) The topical content of this course will be grouped into 4 areas. A general introduction to selected aspects of physiology will be presented. This will provide the background necessary to appreciate the factors which govern the selection of biomedical materials. Specific emphases will be placed on the polymerization of biopolymers (polypeptides and polysaccharides) and the general relationships between conformation and biological function, the biochemistry of blood and blood surface interactions, the formation of teeth and bone and the relationships between microstructure, composition and function, the immune responses to implanted materials, the resorption of bone (osteoporosis),and the development of caries. The perspective placed on these topics will be that of materials science. The selection of ceramics for hard tissue prosthesis will be described. Orthopaedic and dental applications for ceramics will be discussed. Specific ceramic materials to be treated include dental porcelain, alumina- and zirconia-based ceramics, and bioglasses. Various classes of inorganic cements, gypsum, zinc phosphates, zinc carboxylates, silicates, and glass-ionomer cements will also be considered as ceramics. Hydroxyapatite, HAp-based composites and HAp-metal interactions will be discussed in particular. Relationships among physical properties, mechanical properties, and chemical interactions with biological fluids will be described.Dental and orthopaedic applications of metals will be described. The fracture toughness of metals, their electrochemical responses in vivo, and the nature of the interfacial interactions with hard tissues will be treated. Dental amalgams and the noble metals for dental applications will be considered. Metals and alloys, such as Ti, Co-Cr, and stainless steel used in prosthetic applications will be described and their properties and limitations discussed. The phenomenon of stress shielding and the immune responses associated with the accumulation of metallic and polymeric particulate debris in the vicinity of an implant will be discussed in particular.Polymeric materials are important in a broad range of biomedical applications. Among these are soft tissue prostheses, hemostatic agents, dental restoratives, bone replacement materials, and surgical adhesives. In some applications, it is desirable that a polymeric material biodegrade while in others property retention is desirable. Because of the spectrum of applications for polymers, the topics to be covered will be limited with the intent to concentrate on hemocompatible polymers, acrylics used as bone cements, polyethylene used as bearing surfaces in prostheses, and dental resins and bonding materials. Other relevant polymers and their applications will be discussed.