
- Posted in Business Critical | March 12, 2012 | Comments (0)
- Tags: nanodiamonds, metal alloys, implant coatings, joints
- By: BONEZONE
Researchers are investigating the ability of nanodiamond coatings to reduce wear in joints made of metal alloys.
Debris from metal surfaces is absorbed by macrophages, which secrete chemicals that cause swelling and pain. Studies have suggested that diamond coating may shed less debris and in smaller particles than metal and polymer surfaces, and current research indicates that macrophages that surround smaller nanodiamond particles release fewer inflammatory chemicals than those encountering larger particles shed by metal and polymer.
Next steps will include experiments to confirm where nanodiamond particles build up within a body.
Also of interest, Vista Engineering in
REFERENCES
Early study suggests nanodiamonds safe for implants, University of Alabama at Birmingham, February 3, 2012.
In vitro studies on the effect of particle size on macrophage responses to nanodiamond wear debris, Acta Biomaterialia, February 2, 2012.
Vista Engineering & Consulting LLC, www.vistaeng.com