Bioceramic class

A third class of bioceramics are based on Zr02, stabilized by Y2O3 or Ce02. These materials are close to aluminum oxide materials in terms of biocompatibility but exhibit a higher bend strength and crack resistance, though with lower compressive strength. Zirconium dioxide ceramics can be used for many of... 

Part 3 of the Handbook, the domain of materials engineering, contains six chapters. Three deal with classes of biomaterials—biopolymers, composite biomaterials, and bioceramics—and three deal with using biomaterials, in cardiovascular and orthopedic applications, and to promote tissue regeneration. 

Composite materials are used clinically in order to take advantage of the desirable properties of each of the constituent materials while limiting the undesirable or deleterious properties of the individual phases. Composites cover a wide range of compositions and representative materials are listed in Table VI. Most of what is discussed in this section will relate to bioceramic composites. Bioceramic composites are either bioinert, bioactive or biodegradable. Examples of each of these classes of composite and their applications are given in Table VII. 

FIGURE 35.1 Relative reactivity of the different classes of bioceramic. TCP is tricalcium phosphate. 

A strong interest in the use of ceramics for biomedical engineering applications developed in the late 1960 s. Used initially as alternatives to metallic materials in order to increase the biocompatibility of implants, bioceramics have become a diverse class of biomaterials presently including three basic types relatively bioinert ceramics maintain their physical and mechanical properties in the host and form a fibrous tissue of variable thickness surface reactive bioceramics which form a direct chemical bonds with the host and bioresorbable ceramics that are dissolved with the time and the surrounding tissue replaces it. 

Other inorganic materials, such as biphasic calcium phosphate (BCP) with CMC have been prepared for new classes of composite materials. Multiphasic materials such as bioceramic show high compressive properties in addition to containing water-soluble polymers and are considered good ionic carriers for the formation of ECM. This composite material provided adequate injectable properties and nontoxic responses, demonstrating its potential for the repair of AC (De Freitas et al., 2012). 

Hydroxyapatite is a class of calcium phosphate-based bioceramic material, frequently used as a bone graft substimte owing to its chemical and stractural... 

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