Bio-Functional Design, Application and Trends in Metallic Biomaterials

• Main Authors: Ke Yang, Changchun Zhou, Hongsong Fan, Yujiang Fan, Qing Jiang, Ping Song, Hongyuan Fan, Yu Chen, Xingdong Zhang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2017-12-01
• Series: International Journal of Molecular Sciences
• Subjects: metal implants; biomechanical design; porous structure; biodegradable metals; biological function design
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/19/1/24

Introduction of metals as biomaterials has been known for a long time. In the early development, sufficient strength and suitable mechanical properties were the main considerations for metal implants. With the development of new generations of biomaterials, the concepts of bioactive and biodegradable materials were proposed. Biological function design is very import for metal implants in biomedical applications. Three crucial design criteria are summarized for developing metal implants: (1) mechanical properties that mimic the host tissues; (2) sufficient bioactivities to form bio-bonding between implants and surrounding tissues; and (3) a degradation rate that matches tissue regeneration and biodegradability. This article reviews the development of metal implants and their applications in biomedical engineering. Development trends and future perspectives of metallic biomaterials are also discussed.