Russian scientists have invented an implant similar to bone

Russian scientists have developed a technology that makes it possible to produce porous implants for bones based on nickel and titanium compounds, as similar as possible to real human bone.

"With the help of selective laser melting, we can produce an ordered porous structure and adapt the mechanical properties of the implant to the patient’s bone by varying the porosity and pore size at the design stage. Another advantage of the approach is the possibility of modeling and manufacturing implants with gradient porous structures," said Stanislav Chernyshikhin, a researcher at Skoltech.

As it is noted in the message, the new technology makes it possible to impart several biomimetic properties to metal implants made of nickel and titanium compounds at once. These include not only the mechanical properties of bones, but also how well their artificial analogue conducts molecules that are transported by real bone tissue.

Russian scientists have managed to reproduce this property of bones using the three-dimensional printing technique, which makes it possible to obtain from nickel and titanium powder a porous material similar in structure to real bone, and in shape to a gyroid, a complex structure with a minimal surface.