Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
1
History of Biomaterials
1.1. Introduction
The aim of this chapter is to give an outline of the long,
progressive and amazing history of biomaterials.
To begin the chapter entitled “History of biomaterials” it is
necessary to give a first simple definition of the term “biomaterials”:
“Biomaterials are materials intending to supply all or part of a
deficient organ”.
This quite restricted definition - which will be improved
throughout this topic - gives an idea and an overview of the goals,
needs and even potential applications of biomaterials. We will
discover that even through the use of biomaterials dates from a very
long time ago, the notion of biomaterials science emerged in the 1960s
due to the agreement of a few of open-minded scientists wishing to
build this new domain of science. Then, the word “biomaterials”
started to be used at the same time as the birth of learned societies in
this domain: European and American researchers worked a lot to build
the American and European Societies for Biomaterials. This will be
developed later.
