The Anelastic Strain Response of Spine Rods in a Biologic Environment

Colorado School Of Mines, Golden CO

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Abstract

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Utilizing the unique metallurgical and materials expertise at the Colorado School of Mines this work will seek to determine the nature of analeastic responses of titanium and its alloys in a simulated body environment via collaboration with the Department of Orthopedics and the University Of Colorado Denver School of Medicine. We hypothesize that susceptibility of titanium and it alloys to chemical and micro-structural modification from being in the body results in changes to its material properties that can cause pedicle screw pull-out or other spinal instrumentation failure. Create an infrastructure that enables students at the Colorado School of Mines to participate in biomedical research utilizing the expertise at the University of Colorado Medical School. This work will be accomplished using materials analytic techniques of SEM imaging with EDS and EBSD, optical metallographic, X-ray diffraction, and nano-indentation, of spine rods contoured and placed in a simulated body environment for up to 3 months. Undergraduate and graduate students will be actively recruited to be involved in all aspects of the research. In so doing it opens The Colorado School of Mines to applications of it expertise that have not been available. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Utilizing the unique metallurgical and materials expertise at the Colorado School of Mines this work will determine the nature of analeastic responses of titanium and its alloys in a simulated body environment via collaboration with the Department of Orthopedics and the University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine. We hypothesize that susceptibility of titanium and it alloys to chemical and micro-structural modification from being in the body results in changes to its material properties that can cause pedicle screw pull-out or other spinal instrumentation failure.