Advanced G-MPS-PMMA bone cements: influence of graphene silanisation on fatigue performance, thermal properties and biocompatibility

E. Paz, Y. Ballesteros, J. Abenojar, N. Dunne, J.C. del Real-Romero

Nanomaterials Vol. 11, nº. 1, pp. 139-1 - 139-17

Summary:

The incorporation of well-dispersed graphene (G) powder to polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) bone cement has been demonstrated as a promising solution to improving its mechanical performance. However, two crucial aspects limit the effectiveness of G as a reinforcing agent: (1) the poor dispersion and (2) the lack of strong interfacial bonds between G and the matrix of the bone cement. This work reports a successful functionalisation route to promote the homogenous dispersion of G via silanisation using 3-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxy silane (MPS). Furthermore, the effects of the silanisation on the mechanical, thermal and biocompatibility properties of bone cements are presented. In comparison with unsilanised G, the incorporation of silanised G (G_MPS1 and G_MPS2) increased the bending strength by 17%, bending modulus by 15% and deflection at failure by 17%. The most impressive results were obtained for the mechanical properties under fatigue loading, where the incorporation of G_MPS doubled the Fatigue Performance Index (I) value of unsilanised G-bone cement-meaning a 900% increase over the I value of the cement without G. Additionally, to ensure that the silanisation did not have a negative influence on other fundamental properties of bone cement, it was demonstrated that the thermal properties and biocompatibility were not negatively impacted—allowing its potential clinical progression.

Keywords: graphene; silane; bone cement; fatigue; biocompatibility; silanisation; thermal properties; mechanical properties

JCR Impact Factor and WoS quartile: 5,719 - Q1 (2021); 5,300 - Q1 (2022)

DOI reference: https://doi.org/10.3390/nano11010139

Published on paper: January 2021.

Published on-line: January 2021.

Citation:
E. Paz, Y. Ballesteros, J. Abenojar, N. Dunne, J.C. del Real-Romero, Advanced G-MPS-PMMA bone cements: influence of graphene silanisation on fatigue performance, thermal properties and biocompatibility. Nanomaterials. Vol. 11, nº. 1, pp. 139-1 - 139-17, January 2021. [Online: January 2021]