Composite Materials For Medicine
Jan Chłopek Akademia Górniczo-Hutnicza, Wydział Inżynierii Materiałowej i Ceramiki, al. Mickiewicza 30/A3, 30-059 Kraków
Annals 1 No. 1, 2001 pages 50-54
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abstract The paper presents the results of manufacturing and properties of different carbon fibers-based composites used as hard tissue implants. The problem of the choice of biocompatible carbon fibers and the matrix precursor is discussed. There were analyzed composites made of resorbable and inert matrices. Three types of composites were developed: carbon- -carbon, carbon fibers-polysulfone and carbon fibers-polylactide. Depending on the type of matrix the composite were either absorbed by the organism or they behaved as inert materials. Studies were conducted to establish the effect of preparation methods and type of reinforcement on mechanical properties and biological behavior of the load-bearing composite implants used for internal fixation of cancellous bone fractures. The mechanical properties of the composite implants in the form of screws and plates have been compared. In the case of resorbable composites it has been shown that carbon reinforcement altered biological behavior of polymer matrix including resorption time and mechanism of bone defect regeneration in the implant site. The examples of medical application of composites in the form of screws and plates are shown.