Processing of Implant Biomaterials

Abstract

The fabrication of implantable biomaterials is an important step and a researcher should have an overall idea of the various important processing approaches used for different classes of materials (metals, ceramics and polymers). In view of the fact that the manufacturingManufacturingof metallic implants is well established, this chapter starts with a brief discussion of the processing aspects of metallic biomaterials. With reference to the discussion in a preceding chapter, ceramic biomaterials are being widely researched for bone tissue engineering applications due to their outstanding properties like hardness, compression strength and high corrosion resistant properties in body fluid. Additionally, polymers are also being used for soft tissue-engineering applications. It is important to highlight that the properties of ceramics and polymeric biomaterials are sensitive to the processing parameters. From this perspective, the fundamental aspects of the processing of ceramics and polymers are covered in the present chapter. In particular, the mechanisms of the consolidation of powder compacts i.e. the sinteringSinteringprocess are discussed with reference to the major variables influencing the neck growthNeck growthrate. An attempt has been made to illustrate how various parameters can be optimized to achieve densification without grain growthGrain growth. Some advanced sintering techniques, e.g. spark plasma sinteringSpark plasma sinteringare also briefly discussed. Concerning polymer processingPolymer processing, the consolidation of polymeric materials via compression moldingCompression moldingand injection moldingInjection moldingis described. Additionally, other manufacturingManufacturingmethods like extrusion are also mentioned.