Hydroxyapatite Crystal Thickness and Buckling Phenomenon in Bone Nanostructure During Mechanical Tests

Abstract

An investigation of bone samples taken from the left ulna of New Zealand white rabbits, with and without stresses and hysteresis loop, was undertaken using Small Angle X-ray Scattering technique. The purpose of this study is to investigate the nanostructural changes in the mean size of hydroxyapatite crystals thickness (T) during different mechanical conditions. The experiments were performed using bone samples aged 2 and 4 weeks, with and without strontium ranelate treatment, after compressive load and hysteresis loop. We did not observe any clear effects of strontium ranelate on the bones since the MANOVA test for epiphysis and diaphysis were found. On the other hand, a significant difference appears in epiphysis between 2 and 4 weeks. Furthermore, a reduction in the mean size of hydroxyapatite crystal thickness was observed when the loading pressure force increased, due to the buckling phenomenon. A return of memory points in the elastic region of the bone was observed. The significance of these results lays on the development of nanoproducts, with properties that are closer to the actual bone structure.