Modeling of the matrix porosity influence on the elastic properties of particulate biocomposites

Abstract

For a wide range of engineering structures such as ceramics, porous shape memory alloys, foam-like structures and thermal spray deposits, porous materials have been used. Recently, porous biocomposites for the applications to bone implants and hard tissue engineering have become increasingly important. The effect of matrix porosity on the elastic properties of particulate biocomposite was studied by two-and three-phase unit cell finite element models. A 3D FCC unit cell model of particulate composite with included matrix porosity is developed and compared with the simple theoretical models. It is found that the matrix porosity has noticeable influence on the composite elastic properties. The two-phase predictions overestimate the three-phase ones because of the physical threshold for three-phase model determined by the particle content.

Keywords

• particulate reinforced composites
• biomaterials
• elastic constants
• finite element analysis
• porosity