Bone grafts used to repair weight-bearing tibial plateau fractures often
experience cyclic loading, and there is a need for bone graft substitutes that
prevent failure of fixation and subsequent morbidity. However, the specific
mechanical properties required for resorbable grafts to optimize structural
compatibility with native bone have yet to be established. While quasi-static
tests are utilized to assess weight-bearing ability, compressive strength alone
is a poor indicator of in vivo performance. In the present
study, we investigated the effects of interfacial bonding on material properties
under conditions that re-capitulate the cyclic loading associated with
weight-bearing fractures. Dynamic compressive fatigue properties of polyurethane
(PUR) composites made with either unmodified (U-) or polycaprolactone
surface-modified (PCL-) 45S5 bioactive glass (BG) particles were compared to a
commercially available calcium sulfate and phosphate-based (CaS/P) bone cement
at physiologically relevant stresses (5–30 MPa). Fatigue resistance of
PCL-BG/polymer composite was superior to that of U-BG and CaS/P at higher stress
levels for each of fatigue failure criteria, related to modulus, creep, and
maximum displacement, and was comparable to human trabecular bone. Steady state
creep and damage accumulation occurred during the fatigue life of the PCL-BG/PUR
and CaS/P cement, whereas creep of U-BG/PUR primarily occurred at a low number
of loading cycles. From crack propagation testing, fracture toughness or
resistance to crack growth was significantly higher for the PCL-BG composite
than for the other materials. Finally, the fatigue and fracture toughness
properties were intermediate between those of trabecular and cortical bone.
These findings highlight the potential of PCL-BG/polyurethane composites as
weight-bearing bone grafts.