Define biological materials
Materials produced by natural organisms
Define manmade materials
Materials produced by humans/engineers
Define biomaterials
Materials designed to repair/supplement human organs
Define bio-inspired or biomimetic materials
Materials whose design and/or synthesis was inspired by a natural material
Why do oncologists palpate a patient’s body when looking for tumors? What causes the difference between tumors and healthy tissue?
Tumors are more rigid than healthy tissue because they have a stiffer ECM which can be detected by palpation.
What happens during osteoporosis?
There is a loss of bone density and bone quality which leads to an increased risk on bone fracture
What three interrelated things define the natural materials paradigm?
Mechanical function, mechanical properties, composition & structure
What are the six classes of manmade materials?
- Polymers
- Elastomers
- Metals
- Composites
- Ceramics
- Glasses
What are the five classes of biological materials?
- Natural elastomers
- Hard biological materials
- Soft biomaterials
- Natural polymers
- Cellular materials
What are two important things to note from the Ashby charts of biological materials?
- Their mechanical properties span 5-6 orders of magnitude
- Only a handful of components are used - universal building blocks
What two interrelated things form the materials science paradigm?
- Composition & structure
- Mechanical properties
How do the traditional ways of building things vary between engineering and nature?
Engineering is top -> down
Nature is bottom -> up
What role does hierarchy play in natural materials?
-Hierarchical organization is inherent to the fabrication
-At each scale in the hierarchy, specific structures control specific mechanisms
-Macroscale behavior is the sum of the contribution of the mechanisms at each scale
-In nature, no differentiation between materials and structures
What is the function-properties relationship for a material in mechanical engineering design?
The desired function of structure is first identified and then a material with the adequate properties is selected
What is the function-properties relationship for a material in materials science?
The composition, process, and microstructure of materials are optimized to increase the properties of the materials but there isn’t always a specific function in mind.
What is the function-properties relationship for a material in nature?
Materials are optimized for one or several specific functions and function and properties are closely connected
What are issues with using sutures for wound closure?
-Additional tissue damage
-Body fluid leakage
-Mechanical mismatch
-Difficulty implementing
