Probing the micro-mechanical behavior of bone via high-energy x-rays.
Bone is a highly-adaptive, particulate-reinforced composite which, through a complex hierarchical structure, achieves excellent mechanical performance. The composite preserves, to a large degree, the desirable properties of the individual components: high toughness of the bone matrix, collagen fibrils stabilized by water, and high stiffness of the reinforcing phase, nano-sized crystallites of carbonated apatite. Understanding bone fragility (osteoporosis) requires quantifying mechanical input to bone and identifying 'weak-link' microstructures. This mechanical input has been quantified in vivo with strain gages attached to cortical bone, but attached strain gages do not probe subsurface mechanical response. We addressed this shortcoming recently by appling wide- and small-angle x-ray scattering to canine fibula sections, to study the micro-mechanical response of bone on different length scales. These data provide a unique view of load partition between the constituent phases of bone, and here we extend these measurements to an entire rat tibia, where strain gradients due to bending are anticipated. Tibiae of 14 week old Sprague-Dawley rats were studied. A 3D microCT rendering of the sample and definitions of the loading (y) and transverse (x) directions appear in Fig.1, with the y-axis approximately parallel to the bone's longitudinal axis. Due to the curved shape of the tibia, significant sample bending in the x-direction was anticipated even under uniaxial compression, similar to that expected in vivo (there was little curvature in the y-z plane). The sample cross-section at y=0 was determined by microCT to be approximately 4 mm{sup 2}. The sample was potted in epoxy and compressed in a load frame designed for in situ x-ray scattering studies. Loading was in displacement control, at a rate of 0.06 {micro}m/sec. The aggregate macroscopic response was followed using a load cell combined with strain gages located on both the 'convex' (-x) and 'concave' (+x) sides of the sample. While under load, high-energy x-rays (80.7 keV) of transverse size 0.05(x) x 0.05(y) mm{sup 2} were used to sample through the entire thickness (z) of the sample. Wide-angle scattering patterns at multiple x-positions (y=0) were collected using a large area detector, with each 2D pattern containing data in a plane approximately parallel to the sample x-y plane. Internal strains along the longitudinal/loading direction ({var_epsilon}{sub yy}) are shown for the apatite (002) reflection in Fig. 1. Values for five different lateral positions are shown, with x = -1 mm near the convex side of the sample and x = +1 near the concave side. Also shown are value from the strain gage located on the concave side of the specimen. All internal strains are non-zero before unloading and {var_epsilon}{sub yy} {approx} -700 {mu}{var_epsilon}. When stress is applied, strain response varies substantially across the sample, with {var_epsilon}{sub yy} (x = 1) showing the highest compression while {var_epsilon}{sub yy} (x = -1) slightly more tensile values. The macroscopic strain increases similar to, but at a higher degree than, {var_epsilon}{sub yy} (x = -1). At the maximum applied stress of {approx}33 MPa the sample experienced multiple cracks, as verified via post-mortem analysis. Upon unloading the macroscopic strain was primarily elastic, as values (nearly) returned to those seen upon loading.
- Research Organization:
- Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Science (SC)
- DOE Contract Number:
- DE-AC02-06CH11357
- OSTI ID:
- 971921
- Report Number(s):
- ANL/XFD/CP-118710; TRN: US1001412
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 5th International Conference on Synchrotron Radiation Materials Science (SRMS 5); Jul. 30, 2006 - Aug. 2, 2006; Chicago, IL
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- ENGLISH
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