Preparation and characterization of bone cements incorporated with montmorillonite

Bone cements incorporated with montmorillonite (MMT) were prepared in an attempt to improve their mechanical properties. The cements were characterized using particle size analysis, gel permeation chromatography, viscosity measurements, unreacted monomer analysis, X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and mechanical properties. The average particle size and molecular weight of the PMMA powders used were 47 microm and 100,000 g/mol, respectively. The incorporation of MMT led to an increase in viscosity of the bone cement but did not severely affect its setting temperature or the amount of residual monomer. Regardless of the MMT mixing methods used, in this case MMT being mixing in liquid and powder components, sodium MMT (SMMT) was not well dispersed in the bone cements, which was believed to be due to its hydrophilicity. Organophilic MMT (OMMT) was better dispersed in the liquid component than in the powder component. The compressive and tensile strength of the bone cement containing the OMMT mixed into the liquid component were significantly higher than those of the bone cement without MMT (p < 0.05).