UK Partner
Jiye Chen , Reader, School of Civil Engineering and Surveying (SCES)
Ukraine Partner
Name Kostiantyn Dyadyura , Professor, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Institute of Medical Engineering, Odessа Polytechnic National University
Co-Investigators
Laurie Clough , Senior Lecturer, SCES
Andrey Smorodin, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Odessа Polytechnic National University
Project objectives
Fibre reinforced polymer composite medical devices have been well developed in the last decade, e.g., trauma plates for treating fractured bones because of their excellent mechanical features: high stiffness and strength, light weigh, temperature tolerance, chemical resistance, radiolucency, decreased artefact on CT and MRI, and biocompatibility with absence of allergies and infammatory reactions and no cold- welding. The global medical composites market size is projected to grow from USD 922 million in 2020 to USD 1,478 million by 2025, at a CAGR of 9.9%. Carbon fibre composite trauma plates as an internal fixator and sustainable orthopaedical products have been used for the treatment of bone fractures. This project will develop 3D printing bio-mimicked composites technology, which will be 50 times faster, more than 90% costs saving compared to traditional manufacturing composite technology. This project will also investigate an intelligent decision-making support information system for the design of bone substitutes with controlled composition, structure, porosity, and mechanical strength for further selection of additive technology for its production from apatite-polymer composites. The outcome from this project will also have potential applications in civil, mechanical, aerospace, shipbuilding and automotive engineering sectors. This project will bring huge financial savings and accelerate economic development in Ukraine.
Project goals
1. 3D printing bio-mimicked composite trauma plates for mechanically stimulating healing of fractured bones.
2. 3D printing bio-mimicked composite human bone implant joints with required biomechanics compatibility.
3. Investigate 3D printing technology to produce apatite-biopolymer composites with required mechanical parameters to be bone substitutes.
4. Software implementation of the developed intelligent decision-making support system for the design of bone substitutes for their production from apatite-polymer composites.
Designing a biocompatible trauma construct consisting of trauma plate, fractured bone and screws is challenging. There is a critical need to understand the biomechanical performance of composite trauma plates. In particular, design approaches, damage resilience, healing philosophy, biocompatibility of trauma constructs, liquid ingression and infections are far below than well explored. The hypothesis of the biomechanics compatibility of the trauma construct is allowing fractured bone undertaken healing required compressive strains (1-10%) for mechanically stimulating the healing of the fractured bone.
Previous work indicated the strain between 6-10% can accelerate bone fracture healing about 50% faster compared to the case with no strain or very small strain [1, 2]. This proposed project addresses the main challenges through developing: a) 3D Printing Bio-mimicked Composite Trauma Plates (BCTP) in the cost- effective way, b) a predictive damage/fracture model to design a novel BCTP with bio-mimicked multiple layers to reach the required biomechanics compatibility in trauma construct, and c) a surface smoothing technology, to cope with rough surface problems in traditional composite trauma plates. 3D printing BCTP technology would greatly reduce manufacturing costs by 90% and produce products 50 times faster compared to traditional composites manufacture technologies. The basic materials for 3D printing include continuous carbon fibres and the nylon matrix mixed with chopped carbon fibres [3]. The construction in thickness of the trauma plate will be designed in terms of 3D printing bio-mimicked graded layered composites developed by Dr Chen to enhanced damage resilience in the thickness direction by 70% compared to traditional sandwich composites [4, 5]. Therefore, the proposed 3D printing BCTP will be a novel continuous fibre reinforced and bio-mimicked layered composite trauma plate. Unlike traditionally manufactured laminated composites, this proposed 3D printing BCTP will also bring a biomechanics compatibility in the trauma construct through multiple bio-mimicked layers with comparable stiffness to bone, which mechanically accelerates the fractured bone to be self-cured quickly by undertaking a required value of healing strains. This is a new technology using the proposed Bio-mimicked – Biomechanics Model (BBM) to design and manufacture a novel composite trauma plate. This proposed technology will also be used to produce bio-mimicked composite human bone implant joints with required biomechanics compatibility. Meanwhile, the proposed project will investigate 3D printing technology to produce apatite-biopolymer composites with required mechanical parameters to be bone substitutes, and an AI software for intelligent decision-making system to support the design with controlled composition, structure, porosity, mechanical strength, and the subsequent selection of additive manufacturing technology.
Role of each Partner.
UK PI Jiye Chen will undertake actions together with UK CI to complete objectives 1 and 2. Ukraine PI will participate in this investigation by suggestions, e.g., printing samples and assessment.
Ukraine PI Dyadura Kostiantyn will undertake actions with assistance from UK PI to complete objective 3, provide raw materials for investigating 3D printing by existing printers or develop new specific printer in the UK. UK PI will help this investigation and assessment.
Ukraine PI Kostiantyn Dyadura together with Ukraine CI Andrey Smorodin will undertake actions with assistance from UK PI to complete objective 4: to improved the methods of making informed decisions in the design and use of additive technologies for the production of bone substitutes with functional properties that take into account the patterns of new bone tissue formation.
Timing
Project Start Date: 01/02/23
Project End Date: 31/08/23
Expected results
1. 3D printed and assessed samples of bio-mimicked composite trauma plates
2. 3D printed and assessed samples of human bone implant joints
3. Selected existing 3D printers and printing technology and printed samples of apatite-biopolymer composites as bone substitutes.
4. Information and analytical materials, recommendations, proposals, etc. will be developed and will be transferred for use in decision support for military-civilian applications in orthopedics and traumatology
5. Articles will be published in scientific journals, e.g., composite structures and biomedical engineering, collections of scientific works, conference materials, etc
