Biomimetic generation of the strongest known biomaterial found in limpet tooth.

The biomaterial with the highest known tensile strength is a unique composite of chitin and goethite (α-FeO(OH)) present in teeth from the Common Limpet (Patella vulgata). A biomimetic based on limpet tooth, with corresponding high-performance mechanical properties is highly desirable. Here we report on the replication of limpet tooth developmental processes ex vivo, where isolated limpet tissue and cells in culture generate new biomimetic structures.

Full-Field Strain Analysis of Bone-Biomaterial Systems Produced by the Implantation of Osteoregenerative Biomaterials in an Ovine Model.

Osteoregenerative biomaterials for the treatment of bone defects are under much development, with the aim of favoring osteointegration up to complete bone regeneration. A detailed investigation of bone-biomaterial integration is vital to understand and predict the ability of such materials to promote bone formation, preventing further bone damage and supporting load-bearing regions. This study aims to characterize the micromechanics and microdamage evolution of bone-biomaterial systems at the tissue level, combining high-resolution synchrotron microcomputed tomography, mechanics and digital volume correlation.

Effect of SR-microCT radiation on the mechanical integrity of trabecular bone using in situ mechanical testing and digital volume correlation.

The use of synchrotron radiation micro-computed tomography (SR-microCT) is becoming increasingly popular for studying the relationship between microstructure and bone mechanics subjected to in situ mechanical testing. However, it is well known that the effect of SR X-ray radiation can considerably alter the mechanical properties of bone tissue. Digital volume correlation (DVC) has been extensively used to compute full-field strain distributions in bone specimens subjected to step-wise mechanical loading, but tissue damage from sequential SR-microCT scans has not been previously addressed.

X-ray Imaging of Transplanar Liquid Transport Mechanisms in Single Layer Textiles.

Understanding the penetration of liquids within textile fibers is critical for the development of next-generation smart textiles. Despite substantial research on liquid penetration in the plane of the textile, little is known about how the liquid penetrates in the thickness direction. Here we report a time-resolved high-resolution X-ray measurement of the motion of the liquid-air interface within a single layer textile, as the liquid is transported across the textile thickness following the deposition of a droplet.

Optimizing a micro-computed tomography-based surrogate measurement of bone-implant contact.

Histology and backscatter scanning electron microscopy (bSEM) are the current gold standard methods for quantifying bone-implant contact (BIC), but are inherently destructive. Microcomputed tomography (μCT) is a non-destructive alternative, but attempts to validate μCT-based assessment of BIC in animal models have produced conflicting results. We previously showed in a rat model using a 1.