Reinforcement and structure development in injection molding of bone-analogue composites

Abstract

Composites of high density polyethylene (HDPE) with hydroxyapatite (HA—the main inorganic constituent of human bone) were produced by extrusion compounding and subsequent injection molding. Shear controlled orientation in injection molding (SCORIM) was used deliberately to induce a strong anisotropic character in the composite materials. Bi-composite moldings featuring a sandwich like morphology were also produced by mono-sandwich injection molding. These composites combine a HDPE/HA outer layer and HDPE/carbon fiber reinforced core. For all the cases, the mechanical performance of the produced composites was assessed and the structure developed investigated and related to the processing conditions.