CWMS is pleased to announce a lecture by Dr Jimmy Huanming Chen of Solid Mechanics and Materials Engineering Group, Department of Engineering Science, The University of Oxford
Abstract:
Biodegradable polymers are increasingly used in biomedical applications, such as orthopaedic implants, sutures, and drug delivery systems, due to their biocompatibility and versatile mechanical properties. These devices are subjected to mechanical loads from interactions with surrounding tissues during use. A clear understanding of the degradation and deformation behaviours of biodegradable polymers under stress is crucial, as maintaining mechanical integrity and geometric stability is essential for tissue recovery. However, there is limited qualitative analysis of the failure behaviour of biodegradable polymers under stress, and the effect of mechanical loading on the hydrolytic reaction rate remains unresolved. This study presents our systematic investigation of the unstressed and stressed degradation behaviour of biodegradable polymer and impact factors to the degradation rate. The stress-induced creep, even under very small stress, appears to be the primary factor leading to geometric collapse and, ultimately, failure. Our findings may provide significant guidelines in rational design of biodegradable polymer devices.
Agenda:
18:00 Networking and refreshments
18:30 Lecture and Q&A
20:00 Close
Participation in the lecture will be available on-line as well as in-person. Links to the online meeting will be issued to registrants a few days before the event.
