Question

Discuss the role of ceramics in biomedical engineering. What are the main advantages and drawbacks of using ceramics (bulk oxides and coatings) as bio-ceramics? Describe bioactive glasses and discuss their limitations along with differences between ordered and disordered glasses

Answer 1

Recently the use of ceramics in the field of biotechnology is being used. Brittleness of the ceramics is the only reason that has limited its competition with ductile metals and polymers.

Ceramics are being used for the repairment as well as reconstruction a damaged parts of the musculo-skeletal system. Ceramics includes materials such as bioactive glass, calcium phosphate materials, zirconia, glass ceramics, alumina etc.

Orthopedic bioceramics provide the advantage of chemical similarity to natural skeletal materials. Bone is 43% by weight hydroxyapatite, a common ceramic mineral. This has led to the widespread use of ceramics in restorative dentistry and repair of bone defects including hip and knee replacements.

Advantages of ceramics

Ceremics are non-toxic

They are stable during implantation

They do not corrode or degrade

These materials are not carcinogenic

Disadvantages of ceramics

Some of the ceramics are biodegradable.

They are very difficult to manufacture

They also can minimize bone ingrowth.

Bioactive glasses are a group of surface reactive glass-ceramic biomaterials and include the original bioactive glass, Bioglass. The biocompatibility and bioactivity of these glasses has led them to be investigated extensively for use as implant device in the human body to repair and replace diseased or damaged bones.

Limitations of bioactive glass

They have high bioactivity.

they have mechanical weakness as well very less resistance to fracture due to their geometry of 2-D amorphous network.

The bending strength is not enough for load-bearing application.