Comparison between two methods of micro and nano scale measurements in terms of bone cement hardness

Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA)‐based cements are widely used for the fixation of orthopedic implants andprostheses. The bone cement is the weakest element in prosthesis and the mechanical failure in this cement is the mainreason for prosthesis failure. Thus, the study on the mechanical properties of bone cements can play a bold role incement performance. One of the most important mechanical properties of bone cement, which is necessary toevaluate, is hardness. The aim of this study was to measure the hardness of PMMA‐based bone cement polymer(CEMEX RX, TECRES Company, Italy) by using two different test methods: nano‐indentation and micro‐Vickers. In orderto achieve this goal, the cubic CEMEX RX specimen was produced via vacuum mixing method and the nano‐indentationand micro‐Vickers tests were performed on the sample. The values of hardness obtained from the both experimentson the cement sample were compared and the results indicated that the magnitude of nano‐indentation hardness isabout 15% larger than the micro‐Vickers one.

کلیدواژه ها:

Bone cement ، Polymer ، Hardness ، Nano‐indentation ، Micro‐Vickers