New approach to the synthesis of nanocrystalline boron carbide.

The use of nanoparticles in ceramic matrix composites provides lower sintering temperatures and higher densities at a given temperature than common coarse-grained materials. Nanocrystalline B4C was synthesized by an inexpensive carbothermal reduction method using carbon black and B2O3 as precursor. Full conversion was achieved at 1623 K for annealing times of 480 minutes or with a large excess of B2O3 and oxidation of the remaining carbon after 30 minutes of annealing. The average particle size of the synthesized B4C powder was 260 nm, which was reduced to 70 nm after separation of the small particle fraction from the larger particles by sedimentation. A mixture of the as-prepared powder and commercial coarse-grained B4C yielded an increase of the density of low temperature hot pressed samples by 25% in comparison to pure commercial B4C. Possible chemical reactions and mechanisms in the synthesis of B4C were examined with the Gibbs free energies of reactions. The most likely reaction was the reduction of B2O3 vapor at the surfaces of the carbon particles after its vapor transport from the liquid B2O3. An observed reduction of B4C yield above 1623 K was probably caused by loss of B2O3 vapor from the reaction mixture.

Etched tracks and serendipitous dosimetry.

Nuclear tracks in detectors that just happened to be there can be found in unexpected places. Eyeglasses, household glass, minerals, objects that were exposed to nuclear explosions, and space equipment on the moon are examples. Such materials allow us to measure doses of past radon exposures, cosmic-ray fluences, fission rates and neutrons. Incidental results include measuring mountain-building rates and deciding where finding oil is likely (or unlikely); in another case erosion rates of surface materials in space are found. New results that assess the effects of hydration layers on the leaching out from glass surfaces of imbedded alpha-recoil nuclei imply that long-term, retrospective radon measurements can be made more reliable by selecting only glass with compact hydration layers.

Evaluation of cytocompatibility and bending modulus of nanoceramic/polymer composites.

In an attempt to simulate the microstructure and mechanical properties of natural bone, novel nanoceramic/polymer composite formulations were fabricated and characterized with respect to their cytocompatibility and mechanical properties. The bending moduli of nanocomposite samples of either poly(L-lactic acid) (PLA) or poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) with 30, 40, and 50 wt % of nanophase (<100 nm) alumina, hydroxyapatite, or titania loadings were significantly (p < 0.05) greater than those of pertinent composite formulations with conventional, coarser grained ceramics. The nanocomposite bending moduli were 1-2 orders of magnitude larger than those of the homogeneous, respective polymer. For example, compared with 0.06 GPa for the 100% PLA, the bending modulus of 50/50 nanophase alumina/PLA composites was 3.5 GPa. Osteoblast adhesion on the surfaces of the nanophase alumina/PLA composites increased as a function of the nanophase ceramic content. Most importantly, osteoblast adhesion on the 50/50 nanophase alumina/PLA substrates was similar to that observed on the 100% nanophase ceramic substrates. Similar trends of osteoblast adhesion were observed on the surfaces of the nanophase titania/polymer and nanophase hydroxyapaptite/polymer composites that were tested. In contrast, fibroblast adhesion on the nanophase composites was either similar or lower than that observed on the conventional composites with either PLA or PMMA and minimum on all tested neat nanophase substrates. The calcium content in the extracellular matrix of cultured osteoblasts was also enhanced on the nanoceramic/PLA composite substrates tested as a function of the nanophase ceramic loading and duration of cell culture. The results of the present in vitro study provide evidence that nanoceramic/polymer composite formulations are promising alternatives to conventional materials because they can potentially be designed to match the chemical, structural, and mechanical properties of bone tissue in order to overcome the limitations of the biomaterials currently used as bone prostheses.

Increased osteoblast adhesion on titanium-coated hydroxylapatite that forms CaTiO3.

CaTiO(3) is a strong candidate to form at the interface between hydroxylapatite (HA) and titanium implants during many coating procedures. However, few studies have compared the cytocompatibility properties of CaTiO(3) to HA pertinent for bone-cell function. For this reason, the objective of the present in vitro study was to determine the ability of bone-forming cells (osteoblasts) to adhere on titanium coated with HA that resulted in the formation of CaTiO(3). To accomplish the formation of CaTiO(3), titanium was coated on HA discs and annealed either under air or a N(2)+H(2) environment. Materials were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy (RBS), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). These characterization techniques demonstrated the formation of a nanometer rough CaTiO(3) layer as a consequence of interactions between HA and titanium during coating conditions. Results from cytocompatibility tests revealed increased osteoblast adhesion on materials that contained CaTiO(3) compared to both pure HA and uncoated titanium. The greatest osteoblast adhesion was observed on titanium-coated HA annealed under air conditions. Because adhesion is a crucial prerequisite to subsequent functions of osteoblasts (such as the deposition of calcium containing mineral), the present in vitro results imply that orthopedic coatings that form CaTiO(3) could increase osseointegration with juxtaposed bone needed for increased implant efficacy.

Hydroxylapatite with substituted magnesium, zinc, cadmium, and yttrium. I. Structure and microstructure.

Hydroxylapatite (HA) was made containing magnesium, zinc, cadmium, and yttrium. Salts of these cations were added to precipitating HA; the precipitates were dried and sintered at 1100 degrees C for 1 h. Lattice parameters from X-ray diffraction spectra showed that these elements were incorporated into the apatite structure at a level of 2% added fraction of calcium in HA and up to 7% for yttrium. The densities of different substituted apatites were close to theoretical for pressed and sintered samples, which is evidence for low bulk porosity. The grain sizes of substituted apatites were smaller than those of pure HA except for cadmium-containing apatite. Surfaces of etched samples showed no second phases, whereas surfaces of unetched samples showed second phases and higher porosity than etched surfaces.

Hydroxylapatite with substituted magnesium, zinc, cadmium, and yttrium. II. Mechanisms of osteoblast adhesion.

The present in vitro study investigated osteoblast adhesion on hydroxylapatite (HA) doped with either cadmium (Cd), zinc (Zn), magnesium (Mg), or yttrium (Y). Compared with any other dopant tested in the present study, osteoblast adhesion was significantly (p < 0.05) greater on HA doped with Y after 4 h; in addition, osteoblast adhesion increased with concentration (2-7 mol%) of Y in HA. The findings that HA doped with greater amounts of Y adsorbed higher concentrations of calcium and, subsequently, of vitronectin and collagen (proteins known to mediate osteoblast adhesion), but not of albumin, laminin, and fibronectin, may explain the observed enhanced adhesion of osteoblasts on these substrates. Interactions (i.e., adsorption and configuration/bioactivity) of vitronectin and collagen may have been promoted by increased porosity of doped HA. Through doping with Y, the present study provided the first evidence that HA can be synthesized and processed with improved cytocompatibility properties for osteoblast adhesion, and thus offered essential information for the design of novel proactive bioceramics. Proactive bioceramics which elicit specific, timely, and desired responses from surrounding cells and tissues are necessary for improving bonding of orthopaedic/dental implants to juxtaposed bone; such osseointegration will, undoubtedly, enhance implant efficacy.