Merging strut-based and minimal surface meta-biomaterials: Decoupling surface area from mechanical properties

The rational design of bone-substituting biomaterials is relatively complex because they should meet a long list requirements for optimal performance. Meta-biomaterials are micro-architected materials that hold great promise meeting those as offer unique combination mechanical, mass-transport, and biological properties. There are, however, inherent couplings between the different types properties many such make it impossible to simultaneously achieve all criteria. An example coupling exists mechanical surface area. Strut-based, metallic meta-biomaterials known bone-mimicking properties, but have limited area cell adherence. Increasing generally results in an undesirable increase could lead stress shielding. Here, we combine strut-based lattices with minimal surfaces decouple these two We added patches designs both auxetic non-auxetic while minimizing their contribution resulting through application cuts or “slits”. All were additively manufactured using selective laser melting mechanically tested obtain quasi-static including Poisson’s ratio, configurations. A finite element-based computational homogenization code was used compute elastic moduli anisotropy structures. show substantially available without significantly affecting Without slits, affected modulus deformation behavior meta-biomaterials. similar strategy be tune biodegradation rate biodegradable metals permeability general.