This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project seeks to develop nanomanufacturing methods for producing metal-oxide composites for biomedical implants. Homogeneous, mixed metal-oxide composites are extremely difficult to prepare by existing processes, and although of great utility, mixed-oxides have found limited applications in markets outside of biomedicine due to cost constraints. We have obtained preliminary data demonstrating a new, highly-efficient and low-cost approach to the manufacture of these materials which uses precise flow and mixing control to assemble the individual components of the mixed-oxides at the nanoscale. The process utilizes inexpensive nanomaterial components (e.g., colloids) that are readily available. The process produces complex "core-shell" nanomaterials that are then further processed to produce a mixed-oxide with greatly increased functionality. We anticipate that these materials will exhibit the commercially important properties of radiopacity (aiding diagnostic capabilities) and bioactivity (for better implant integration).
The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is to provide bio-medical implants that better integrate into the human body, speed the healing process, improve durability, extend the use-life and aid diagnosis. This will ultimately reduce the rate of revision surgery and improve patient outcomes. The process has many significant advantages over existing methods of manufacturing, including increased functionality, dramatically improved product yield (leading to lower cost), and significantly improved performance. This process provides a significant manufacturing cost advantage over existing materials and can be further leveraged to expand market opportunities into adjacent segments where cost constraints have limited the adoption of advanced composites.
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project has proven feasibility to develop nanomanufacturing methods for producing nanocomposites for use in dentistry. Nanocomposites have shown great promise in dentistry but have limited applications because of the lack of reliable manufacturing methods to prepare them at scale. Through this Phase I project, we have developed a new, highly-efficient and low-cost approach to the manufacture of complex nano-material composites, that allows their assembly from the individual nano-sized components. The process produces highly homogeneous nanomaterials with increased functionality – simultaneously having multiple properties such as radiopacity (aiding diagnostic capabilities), high strength and durability and optical properties. This technology can be further leveraged to expand market opportunities into adjacent segments where cost constraints have limited the adoption of advanced nanocomposites. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is to provide nanomaterial composites that improve the function of dental restorations and of biomedical implants. The technology is anticipated to facilitate medical implant materials that better integrate into the human body, improve durability, extend their use-life and aid diagnosis, ultimately reducing the rate of revision procedures and improving patient outcomes. In the context of dental restoratives, these materials offer improved aesthetics, enhanced radiopacity for diagnostics, and state-of-the art strength and durability. The development and maturation of the proposed products will have significant impact upon the dental industry, allowing dentists to better diagnose re-current caries, will improve clinical outcomes and ultimately reduce the occurrence of clinical revision/replacement procedures. The cost savings associated with the new process will increase access of the general public to the highest quality dental restorations.
