Modified Layered Silicate Biomaterials for Regenerative Medicine of Bone Tissue

The interdisciplinary field of polymer nanocomposite biomaterials brings together researchers from polymer science, biology, materials and biomedical engineering, chemistry and physics. In order to understand the need of biomaterials in our life, first we need to define and understand the specific terms that hnk these fields together. It is obvious that, due to the fact that the field of biomaterials is quite a new interdisdpltnary one, the same term can be found with several explanations. 

Initially the implants were intended mainly to replace affected (i.e., broken bones, heart, vein, liver, pancrease) or malfunctioning body p arts which people cannot live without. Subsequently, the industry of implants developed fast and now there are implants which are used for reconstructing and aesthetic purposes such as breast implants, bone facial implants and skin implants. According to the type of replaced tissue, they are divided into hard and soft implants. Hard tissue implants are usually made of metals or ceramics (bone implants, dental sealant, and joints) while soft tissue implants are made of polymers (blood vessels, skin, plastic surgery). 

Essential components of modern medicine have become orthop aedic implants (represented by metallic implants as well as bone cements) (Widmer, 2001). 

In recent years, orthopaedic implants and prostheses have imposed an increasing demand on the materials used. The more complex the fimction of the implant becomes, the more complex the requirements of the constructional material are. The success or failure of any device is often dependent on the choice of material as it is on the configurational and functional design. 

The requirements that modem bone implants are expected to meet can be divided into three groups  

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Collagen - Modified Layered Silicate Biomaterials for Regenerative Medicine of Bone Tissue... 

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