Metallic alloys currently used as bone implants often fail due to poor bonding to juxtaposed bone (i.e. osseointegration). Osseointegration is necessary to stabilize the implant so that physiological loading conditions can be supported, thereby enabling the patient to lead a normal, active life. Incomplete osseointegration of implants can be caused by (i) surface properties that do not support new bone growth and (ii) mismatch of mechanical properties between an implant and surrounding bone that may lead to stress and strain imbalances that cause implant loosening, failure, and eventual surgical removal. The proposed study will design, synthesize, and evaluate biologically-inspired materials that mimic bone by incorporating dispersed nanoceramic particles in polymer matrices. Since all tissues of the body are nanostructured, positive results on the present study would provide evidence that the design of synthetic, biologically-inspired, nanomaterial formulations may increase the efficacy of implants in numerous applications.
