Factors affecting the mechanical and viscoelastic properties of acrylic bone cement

The aim of this paper is to report a series of experiments investigating the factors that influence the viscoelastic properties of acrylic bone cement. The effects of the brand of cement, the length of time since mixing, temperature, the hydration of the cement, and the influence of fat and or blood in the environment on the creep and stress relaxation behavior of the cement have been studied in laboratory-prepared specimens in tension, compression and four point bending. Although there are significant differences in the viscoelastic behavior of some of the different brands of polymethylmethacrylate based cements, these differences are small by comparison with the major effects that can be exerted by the length of time since mixing and some environmental factors. These effects have important practical consequences, especially with regard to the ability of bench top and theoretical studies to predict reliably the mechanical and viscoelastic behavior of acrylic cement in vivo.