Testing Polyurethane Foams as Bone Models
Author Information
Author(s): Purvi SD Patel, Duncan ET Shepherd, David WL Hukins
Primary Institution: School of Mechanical Engineering, University of Birmingham
Hypothesis
Can low density polyurethane foam be suitable for mimicking human osteoporotic cancellous bone?
Conclusion
0.16 g.cm-3 polyurethane foam may be suitable as a model for osteoporotic cancellous bone when fracture stress is a concern.
Supporting Evidence
- The 0.16 g.cm-3 PU foam showed Young's modulus and yield strength values similar to osteoporotic bone.
- Significant differences in Young's modulus were found between different lengths of PU foam cylinders.
- The energy absorbed to yield was negligible for all tested PU foams.
Takeaway
The study tested different types of foam to see if they can act like weak bones in people with osteoporosis. They found that one type of foam might work for certain tests.
Methodology
Quasi-static compression tests were performed on PU foam cylinders of different lengths and densities to measure Young's modulus, yield strength, and energy absorbed to yield.
Limitations
The study only tested a limited range of foam densities and did not explore other mechanical properties.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.05
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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