Bone: An Outstanding Composite Material

abstract

Bone is an outstanding, well-designed composite. It is constituted by a multi-level structure wherein its properties and behavior are dependent on its composition and structural organization at different length scales. The combination of unique mechanical properties with adaptive and self-healing abilities makes bone an innovative model for the future design of synthetic biomimetic composites with improved performance in bone repair and regeneration. However, the relation between structure and properties in bone is very complex. In this review article, we intend to describe the hierarchical organization of bone on progressively greater scales and present the basic concepts that are fundamental to understanding the arrangement-based mechanical properties at each length scale and their influence on bone's overall structural behavior. The need for a better understanding of bone's intricate composite structure is also highlighted.

keywords

HUMAN CORTICAL BONE; MECHANICAL-PROPERTIES; FRACTURE-TOUGHNESS; CANCELLOUS BONE; TRABECULAR BONE; IN-VITRO; OSTEOCYTE; FORCES; KNEE; SIMULATION

subject category

Chemistry; Engineering; Materials Science; Physics

authors

Rosa, N; Moura, MFSF; Olhero, S; Simoes, R; Magalhaes, FD; Marques, AT; Ferreira, JPS; Reis, AR; Carvalho, M; Parente, M

our authors

acknowledgements

This research was funded by the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation program, grant number 953169; by FCT/MEC (PIDDAC), project UIDB/50011/2020, UIDP/50011/2020, LA/P/0006/2020, LA/P/0045/2020 (ALiCE), UIDB/00511/2020 and UIDP/00511/2020 (LEPABE); by Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), project UID/CTM/50025/2013, grant SFRH/BD/87089/2012, project UIDB/05256/2020, UIDP/0256/2020, project LAETA-UIDB/50022/2020 and UIDP/50022/2020.

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