Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
sample preparation, data acquisition, and data analysis techniques to
better characterize this class of materials, including methods for sample
hydration, selection of appropriate tip geometries, and experimental
protocols that account for time-dependent properties, adhesion, and
material anisotropy.
This chapter will present a review of much of the recent work
in nanoindentation characterization of biological materials. The primary
focus of the chapter will be on soft tissue characterization. A review of
the literature on cartilage indentation will be used to illustrate the
variety of research questions that can be addressed using nanoindentation
and some of the challenges faced in applying nanoindentation
to the characterization of hydrated, compliant materials. To further
demonstrate the diversity of biological, biomedical, and materials design
questions that can be addressed through nanomechanical testing,
examples will also be presented from nanoindentation studies of a wide
range of other biological materials including other soft tissues, plants and
acellular materials. This overview will be followed by a discussion of
some of the key challenges faced in adapting nanoindentation to
biological material characterization, including summaries of some of
the approaches that have been taken to address these challenges. Finally,
the chapter will conclude with suggested directions of future research to
advance the field of indentation of soft tissues.
2. Nanoindentation of Articular Cartilage
Nanoindentation is still a fairly young technique in the field of biological
materials characterization. Early work using commercial instrumentation
focused primarily on mineralized tissues such as bones and teeth. These
materials are stiff and were often tested dry after embedding and
polishing, allowing them to approximate more traditional indentation
substrates. Since its success with mineralized tissues, nanoindentation
has been increasingly applied to the study of a broad range of biological
materials, including soft tissues, plants, and acellular biomaterials with
biomimetics applications. Among the soft tissues characterized using
nanoindentation, the most papers have been published in the area of
nanoindentation of articular cartilage.
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