A Method of Material Optimization of Cementless Stem Through Functionally Graded Material

Ideally, a bone implant should be such that it exhibits an identical response to loading as real bone and is also biocompatible with existing tissue. A stiff stem, which is usually made of titanium, shields the proximal bone from mechanical loading (stress shielding). On the other hand, decreasing the stem stiffness increases the proximal interface shear stress and the risk of proximal interface failure. Therefore the purpose of this study is to solve these conflicting requirements in order to have more uniform interface shear stress distribution and less stress shielding through the concept of functionally graded material (FGM). FGM is a kind of advanced composite materials, which changes its composition and structure gradually over one or two directions of its volume, resulting in corresponding changes in the properties of the material. This study is divided into two parts; in the first part, the finite element analysis and optimization technique are used to design the stem as one-dimensional FGM, while in the second part, the stem is designed as two-dimensional functionally graded material. The aim of both designs is to overcome the above mentioned problems. In the case of part one (one-dimensional FGM), the gradation of elastic modulus is changed along the vertical direction (model 1) and along the horizontal direction (model 2), in order to find the optimal gradation direction. It is found that the optimal design is to change the elastic modulus gradually from 110 GPa (Hydroxyapatite) at the top of the stem to 1GPa (Collagen) at the bottom (model 1). This optimal gradation decreases stress shielding by 83%, while reduces the maximum interface shear stress by 32% compared to homogenous titanium stem. However, in the second part (two-dimensional FGM, model 3) the materials of optimal design are found to be hydroxyapatite, Bioglass, and collagen. This design leads to the same stress shielding reduction as in model 1, while at the same time, the maximum interface shear stress is reduced by 45% and 63% compared to the optimal one-dimensional FGM design and homogenous titanium stem, respectively.