Flexural Modulus of Synthetic Femur Polyurethane Foam Bone Components Based on Three-Point Bending Tests

Abstract

The data of preliminary research presented in this study can serve as a reference to help design, model, and interpret tests using foams of Synbone producer. The aim of the study was to identify flexural modulus of osteoporotic trabecular and cortical type polyurethane foams applied in the production of artificial human femurs. Mechanical behavior of composite bone models with replicated pathological properties are crucial for experimental and numerical biomechanical analysis of bone performance and fracture fixation simulations. Synbone replicate femur components were identified upon three-point bending tests conducted on beam specimens. The samples were cut out of the final Synbone product (Synbone Inc., Davos, Switzerland, Article Number LD2386). Polyurethane foam was investigated separately for cortical and trabecular analog material. The flexural modulus was found to be 231 ± 46 MPa and 195 ± 9 MPa for cortical and trabecular analog tissue, respectively. The correctness of the performed identification was confirmed by three-point bending tests on composite beams compound of both cortical and trabecular replicate foams.