Rubber Reinforced Polymers for Bone Cement — Morphology and Mechanical Properties

Abstract

The use of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) homopolymer as bone cement is well known in orthopaedic surgery. Among many disadvantages, these cements suffer from poor mechanical properties such as tensile strength, fracture toughness and inadequate fatigue resistance. A suitable way of improving these properties is by introducing rubber particles in the glassy polymer matrix.

There are at least three modes in which rubber reinforcement of acrylic polymers have been conducted. This paper discusses a route based on emulsion polymerisation. A series of glassy and rubbery polymers was made in emulsion (Latex) and blended together in order to obtain the suitable morphological and mechanical properties. The factors controlling the blending techniques, such as particle size and mode of blending are discussed. Evidence for enhancement in mechanical properties for these systems is highlighted using stress-strain and dynamic mechanical analysis. The results are correlated with the domain morphology of the polymer system.