Nanophase ceramics properties

Thomas J. Webster, Nanophase Ceramics The Future Orthopedic and Dental Implant Material Yu-Ming Lin, Mildred S. Dresselhaus, and Jackie Y. Ying, Fabrication, Structure, and Transport Properties if Nanowires... 

This chapter will discuss, in detail, properties of bone and of nanophase ceramics that promise increased orthopedic and dental implant efficacy. 

A. Surface Properties of Nanophase Ceramics for Enhanced Orthopedic and Dental Implant Efficacy... 

Due to their ability to selectively promote both osteoblast and osteoclast function, nanophase ceramics provide a preferable alternative to conventional orthopedic and dental implants that fail to integrate with surrounding bone it is undoubtedly highly desirable to minimize, if not avoid, clinical complications that necessitate removal of failed implants as a result of poor surface properties that lead to insufficient osseointegration. These results provide evidence that nanoceramics may be synthesized to match surface properties of bone and, thus, demonstrate strong promise and potential for their use in orthopedic and dental applications. 

Fig. 12. Schematic deformation properties of nanophase ceramics. For ceramics, decreasing the grain size into the nanometer regime corresponds to an increase in grain boundary sliding, resulting in increased ductility of these materials. (Adapted and redrawn from Siegel, 1994.)...

To date, few research groups have incorporated the enhanced mechanical properties of nanophase ceramics into orthopedic and dental applications. 

Undoubtedly, changes in porosity (such as bulk and surface porosity and diameter of individual pores) of nanophase ceramic formulated by Webster et al. (1999) provide an explanation for the observed differences in mechanical properties of respective nanophase and conventional ceramic formulations for example, individual surface pores four times smaller were achieved in nanophase (67-nm grain size) compared to conventional (179-nm grain size) HA formulations (Webster et al., 2000a). Compared to conventional formulations, therefore, the bending modulus of nanophase ceramics... 

Nanostructured ceramics provide alternatives not yet fully explored for orthopedic and dental implant applications the improved mechanical properties of these novel ceramic formulations, in addition to their established exceptional biocompatibility, constitute characteristics that promise improved orthopedic and dental efficacy. Requirements applicable for the design of nanophase ceramics for orthopedic and dental applications include the following ... 

Nanoparticles, see Supported nanoparticles Nanophase ceramics adhesion of osteoblasts to ceramic surfaces, 152-153 bending properties, 158 enhancing osteoblast and osteoclast functions, 153-155... 

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