Electrospin Fiber Affect on the Strength of Metal-Cement Interfaces

The research objectives were to (1) determine electrospun polymer fiber adhesion on Titanium (Ti) using qualitative wear tests; (2) determine the effect of fiber material viscosity on the surface coating of Ti; and (3) determine bonding strength between Ti/Poly-Methyl-Methacrylate (PMMA) under static load. Polycaprolactone (PCL)-Acetone and PCL-PMMA-Acetone fibers were produced on Ti using electrospinning process. Fiber coated Ti surfaces were scratched using sharp edge needle to evaluate the fiber stickiness to the Ti surface. PCL and PMMA were each mixed with acetone using a sonicator, and then stirred together. Rheometer was used to determine viscosity of PCL-PMMA-Acetone mixtures. Qualitative adhesion tests showed that PCL-PMMA-Acetone solution had greater stickiness compared to PCL-Acetone. Low viscosity of 0.158 +/- 0.048 Pa s was achieved for producing PCL-PMMA-Acetone fiber which had averaged size of 1.79 +/- 0.4 mu m. This study found pull out interface fracture shear strength of PCL-Acetone (1.06 +/- 0.23 MPa, n = 3) and PCL-PMMA-Acetone (0.57 +/- 0.18 MPa, n = 4) fiber coated implant-PMMA cement interfaces were significantly higher compare to uncoated Ti-PMMA interfaces (0.34 +/- 0.04 MPa, n = 3).