Nano Materials and Structures for Superior Implants (Nanoplants)

多年来，拉夫堡大学的各种RCUK资助项目已经提供了重要的前景知识产权和技术知识，这些知识产权和技术知识与纳米结构材料的制造有关，具有卓越的性能，超过了一些与能源，电子安全，特别是医疗保健部门相关的商业同行。具体来说，研究表明，即使在低密度组分下，氧化锆基陶瓷的纳米晶粒尺寸保持在180 nm以下，也可以显著提高其抗水热老化（HTA）性能。这与价值约50亿美元的髋关节置换术市场密切相关，因为对金属和聚合物部件的毒性/磨损碎片的担忧使得全陶瓷解决方案越来越有吸引力。HTA降解（四角形氧化锆在水环境中转化为较弱的单斜型）是氧化锆陶瓷在生物医学领域使用的致命弱点，也是2000年前后广为报道的氧化锆髋关节置换术失败的原因。因此，当HTA被反击时，新的机会就会出现。所提出的技术（涉及新型纳米悬浮控制，造粒，然后微波辅助混合加热以及闪烧制度；氧化锆增韧氧化铝和氧化锆陶瓷将被考虑）旨在提供非常小的氧化锆晶粒尺寸，这将有助于当前的合规性（例如ISO 13356， ISO 633-3），并通过多次增强多孔和致密分级氧化锆基结构的耐高温性，开辟新型全陶瓷髋关节替代物。该方法也将适用于陶瓷-金属梯度植入结构，并进行适当的修改。在陶瓷组件生产的所有阶段保持纳米尺寸对于提供目标终端性能至关重要，这将有助于在日益老龄化的人口中提高健康和生活质量。这将通过植入结构的发展（适用于髋关节/膝关节假体，手指关节和颌骨和颅骨修复）来实现，这些结构可以在更长的时间内提供更好的活动能力，从而减少对重复手术的依赖，在某些情况下限制使用轮椅。

Various RCUK funded projects at Loughborough University over the years have delivered significant foreground intellectual property and technology know-how related to the fabrication of nanostructured materials with outstanding properties, surpassing some of the commercial counterparts, relevant to the energy, electronic security and in particular healthcare sectors. Specifically it has been demonstrated that the hydrothermal ageing (HTA) resistance of zirconia based ceramics can be enhanced significantly by retaining a nano grain size below 180 nm even at low density components. This is highly relevant to the ~$5B hip replacement market where concerns about the toxicity / wear debris in metal and polymer components renders all-ceramic solutions increasingly attractive. HTA degradation (the unwanted conversion of tetragonal zirconia to a weaker monoclinic form in an aqueous environment) is the Achilles-heel for the use of zirconia ceramics in biomedical sector and was the reason behind the well-publicised failure of zirconia hip replacements around 2000. Thus, when HTA is countered, new opportunities open up. The proposed technology (involving novel nano-suspension control, granulation and then microwave assisted hybrid heating as well as flash sintering regimes; zirconia toughened alumina and zirconia ceramics will be considered) aims to deliver very small zirconia grain sizes that will both assist current compliance (e.g. ISO 13356, ISO 633-3) and open up novel all-ceramic hip replacements via multi-fold enhancement in HTA-resistance of porous and dense graded zirconia based structures. The methodology will be applicable to ceramic-metal graded implant structures also with suitable modifications. The retention of nano-size throughout all stages of ceramic component production is critical to delivering the target end properties that will assist the health and quality of life in a growing ageing population. This will be achieved via the development of implant structures (applicable for hip/knee prosthesis, finger joints and jaw & skull repairs) that deliver improved mobility over a longer time period thus reducing reliance on repeat surgery and in some cases confinement to use of wheelchair.