Mechanical and Fracture Behaviour Evaluation of Commercial Acrylic Bone Cements

• Published in: Polymer international Vol. 43; no. 3; pp. 260 - 268
• Main Authors: Vallo, Claudia I., Cuadrado, Teresita R., Frontini, Patricia M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Chichester, UK John Wiley & Sons, Ltd 01-07-1997; Wiley
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Biological and medical sciences; Composites; Exact sciences and technology; Forms of application and semi-finished materials; fracture; mechanical behaviour; Medical sciences; Orthopedic surgery; PMMA; Polymer industry, paints, wood; Surgery (general aspects). Transplantations, organ and tissue grafts. Graft diseases; surgical cements; Technology of polymers; Strain rate sensitivity; Rupture; Methyl methacrylate polymer; Mechanical properties; Dispersion reinforced material; Plastic deformation; Experimental study; Composite material; Mechanism; Barium sulfate; Orthopedic surgery; Zirconium oxide; Cement; Biomaterial; Commercial form; Acrylic polymer; Bone
• ISSN: 0959-8103; 1097-0126
• DOI: 10.1002/(SICI)1097-0126(199707)43:3<260::AID-PI771>3.0.CO;2-Q

The deformation and fracture behaviour of some commercial acrylic bone cements have been investigated. Cements were characterized by gel permeation chromatography, dynamic mechanical analysis and scanning electron microscopy. The influence of liquid to powder ratio, curing temperature, strain rate and non‐reacted monomer was analysed for one radiolucent cement. Results showed that the β transition activation process influences both deformation and fracture behaviour. Fracture surface stress whiteness revealed the presence of crazes as the main plastic deformation mechanism. Non‐reacted monomer acted as a plasticizer leading to materials with lower yield strength, σy, that induces crack tip blunting and improves toughness. It appears that the presence of radiopacifier fillers also improves fracture toughness by promoting interactions between the crack and the second phase dispersion. © 1997 SCI.