DEFORMATION RESPONSE OF GELLAN GUM BASED BONE SCAFFOLD SUBJECTED TO UNIAXIAL QUASI-STATIC LOADING

Abstract

This study is focuses on an investigation of the reinforcement effect of the bioactive glass nano-particles in the gellan gum (GG) scaffolds used in bone tissue engineering. The investigated material was synthesized as the porous spongy-like structure improved by the bioactive glass (BAG) nano-particles. Cylindrical samples were subjected to a uniaxial quasi-static loading in tension and compression. Very soft nature of the material, which makes the sample susceptible to damage, required employment of a custom designed experimental device for the mechanical testing. Moreover, as the mechanical properties are significantly influenced by testing conditions the experiment was performed using dry samples and also using samples immersed in the simulated body fluid. Material properties of the pure GG scaffold and the GG-BAG reinforced scaffold were derived from a set of tensile and compression tests under dry and simulated physiological conditions. The results are represented in the form of stress-strain curves calculated from the acquired force and displacement data.