Effect of Melt Flow Rate of Polyethylene on Bioactivity and Mechanical Properties of Polyethylene /Titania Composites

摘要

Bioactive bone-substitutes with mechanical properties analogous to those of natural bone are strongly desired to be developed. In the present study, HDPE/TiO_2 composites were prepared from titanium dioxide (TiO_2) nano-powder with anatase structure and high density polyethylene (HOPE) with different melting flow rate (MFR) through a batch-kneader mixing. The composite with a uniform dispersion of TiO_2 powder were prepared. The composite prepared from HDPE of MFR=8 shows the highest bending strength (about 50 MPa) and Young's modulus (about 7.5 GPa) within the range of the mechanical properties of human cortical bone. The composites formed apatite on their surfaces in a simulated body fluid within 7 days. Therefore, these PE/TiO_2 composites with such mechanical properties and bioactivity are considered to be useful as bone-repairing materials.