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Updated: Jul 16, 2026

Distinctive Capillary Action by Micro-channels in Bone-like Templates can Enhance Recruitment of Cells for Restoration of Large Bony Defect
Published on: September 11, 2015
Short-fibre reinforcement of calcium phosphate bone cement
F Buchanan1, L Gallagher, V Jack
1Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Queen's University, Ashby Building, Stranmillis Road, Belfast BT9 5AH, UK. f.buchanan@qub.ac.uk
Abstract:
Calcium phosphate cement (CPC) sets to form hydroxyapatite, a major component of mineral bone, and is gaining increasing interest in bone repair applications. However, concerns regarding its brittleness and tendency to fragment have limited its widespread use. In the present study, short-fibre reinforcement of an apatitic calcium phosphate has been investigated to improve the fracture behaviour. The fibres used were polypropylene (PP) fibres, 50 microm in diameter and reduced in length by cryogenic grinding. The compressive strength and fracture behaviour were examined. Fibre addition of up to 10 wt % had a significant effect on composite properties, with the energy absorbed during failure being significantly increased, although this tended to be accompanied with a slight drop in compressive strength. The fibre reinforcement mechanisms appeared to be crack bridging and fibre pull-out. The setting time of the CPC with fibre reinforcement was also investigated and was found to increase with fibre volume fraction.
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