Structural Strength Analyses for Low Brass Filler Biomaterial with Anti-Trauma Effects in Articular Cartilage Scaffold Design

Abstract

The existing harder biomaterial does not protect the tissue cells with blunt-force trauma effects, making it a poor choice for the articular cartilage scaffold design. Despite the traditional mechanical strengths, this study aims to discover alternative structural strengths for the scaffold supports. The metallic filler polymer reinforced method was used to fabricate the test specimen, either low brass (Cu80Zn20) or titanium dioxide filler, with composition weight percentages (wt.%) of 0, 2, 5, 15, and 30 in polyester urethane adhesive. The specimens were investigated for tensile, flexural, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) tests. The tensile and flexural test results increased with wt.%, but there were higher values for low brass filler specimens. The tensile strength curves were extended to discover an additional tensile strength occurring before 83% wt.%. The higher flexural stress was because of the Cu solvent and Zn solute substituting each other randomly. The FESEM micrograph showed a cubo-octahedron shaped structure that was similar to the AuCu3 structure class. The XRD pattern showed two prominent peaks of 2θ of 42.6° (110) and 49.7° (200) with d-spacings of 1.138 Å and 1.010 Å, respectively, that indicated the typical face-centred cubic superlattice structure with Cu and Zn atoms. Compared to the copper, zinc, and cart brass, the low brass indicated these superlattice structures had ordered–disordered transitional states. As a result, this additional strength was created by the superlattice structure and ordered–disordered transitional states. This innovative strength has the potential to develop into an anti-trauma biomaterial for osteoarthritic patients.