Nowadays, the self-healing approach in materials science mainly relies on functionalized polymers used as matrices in nanocomposites. Through different physicochemical pathways and stimuli, these materials can undergo self-repairing mechanisms that represent a great advantage to prolonging materials service-life, thus avoiding early disposal. Particularly, the use of the Joule effect as an external stimulus for self-healing in conductive nanocomposites is under-reported in the literature. However, it is of particular importance because it incorporates nanofillers with tunable features thus producing multifunctional materials. The aim of this review is the comprehensive analysis of conductive polymer nanocomposites presenting reversible dynamic bonds and their energetical activation to perform self-healing through the Joule effect.
Bone cement, frequently based on poly (methyl methacrylate), is commonly used in different arthroplasty surgical procedures and its use is essential for prosthesis fixation. However, its manufacturing process reaches high temperatures (up to 120 °C), producing necrosis in the patients' surrounding tissues. To help avoid this problem, the addition of graphene could delay the polymerisation of the methyl methacrylate as it could, simultaneously, favour the optimisation of the composite material's properties. In this work, we address the effect of different percentages of highly reduced graphene oxide with different wt.% (0.10, 0.50, and 1.00) and surface densities (150, 300, 500, and 750 m2/g) on the physical, mechanical, and thermal properties of commercial poly (methyl methacrylate)-based bone cement and its processing. It was noted that a lower sintering temperature was achieved with this addition, making it less harmful to use in surgery and reducing its adverse effects. In contrast, the variation of the density of the materials did not introduce significant changes, which indicates that the addition of highly reduced graphene oxide would not significantly increase bone porosity. Lastly, the mechanical properties (strength, elastic modulus, and fracture toughness) were reduced by almost 20%. Nevertheless, their typical values are high enough that these new materials could still fulfil their structural function. In conclusion, this paper presents a way to control the sintering temperature, without significant degradation of the mechanical performance, by adding highly reduced graphene oxide so that local necrosis of bone cement based on poly (methyl methacrylate) used in surgery is avoided.
Bone cement is of paramount importance in Orthopaedic and trauma surgery due to its crucial role in the success of total joint replacement and newer treatments such as percutaneous vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty. Thus, it is widely used for implant fixations, acting as a space-filler that creates a tight space between different parts of the prosthesis and/or the prosthesis and the patient's organic material. It allows the absorption of small deformations as it has a modulus of elasticity and mechanical properties like those of the bone and one or two more orders of magnitude than the materials' prosthesis. In this way, in case of reaching high stresses, the bone will not break, much less the prosthesis, but the bone cement, which is easily replaceable. Even though the uses and availability of various bone cement's types have been explored, some adverse effects are associated with its use [1][2][3].As bone cement is obtained from the mixture of two precursors that produce a strongly exothermic reaction, one of its main detriments is that it reaches over 60°C during the in-situ polymerization process. Temperatures over 46°C are associated with irreversible cellular death, thus producing significant damage to the surrounding tissues. The heat released during the cement's polymerization has also been related to intestinal obstruction due to adhesions and stricture of the ileum, as well as aseptic loosening of the prosthesis. Moreover, the curing time cannot be controlled during surgeries. It can either unnecessarily prolong them, causing subsequent thromboembolic events, or shorten them, preventing the surgeon from having enough time to complete the moulding,
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.