RESEARCH ARTICLE
Nano-Material Aspects of Shock Absorption in Bone Joints
H Tributsch*, a, F Copfb, p Copfb, U Hindenlangc, F.U Niethardd, R Schneidere
Article Information
Identifiers and Pagination:
Year: 2010Volume: 4
First Page: 257
Last Page: 262
Publisher ID: TOBEJ-4-257
DOI: 10.2174/1874120701004010257
Article History:
Received Date: 14/6/2010Revision Received Date: 5/8/2010
Acceptance Date: 9/8/2010
Electronic publication date: 3/11/2010
Collection year: 2010
open-access license: This is an open access article licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/) which permits unrestricted, non-commercial use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the work is properly cited.
Abstract
This theoretical study is based on a nano-technological evaluation of the effect of pressure on the composite bone fine structure. It turned out, that the well known macroscopic mechano-elastic performance of bones in combination with muscles and tendons is just one functional aspect which is critically supported by additional micro- and nano- shock damping technology aimed at minimising local bone material damage within the joints and supporting spongy bone material. The identified mechanisms comprise essentially three phenomena localised within the three–dimensional spongy structure with channels and so called perforated flexible tensulae membranes of different dimensions intersecting and linking them. Kinetic energy of a mechanical shock may be dissipated within the solid-liquid composite bone structure into heat via the generation of quasi-chaotic hydromechanic micro-turbulence. It may generate electro-kinetic energy in terms of electric currents and potentials. And the resulting specific structural and surface electrochemical changes may induce the compressible intra-osseal liquid to build up pressure dependent free chemical energy. Innovative bone joint prostheses will have to consider and to be adapted to the nano-material aspects of shock absorption in the operated bones.