3D Printed Material Mimics Bone to Be Both Light and Strong
4th February 2014
The key to bones’ strength is that they are made of a repeating pattern. Light materials like foam have a random structure, which is why they collapse if any pressure is applied. The researchers tried a variety of patterns, including cubes, pyramids and honeycombs. They were able to use a lithography machine to create at least 10 different options made of a polymer covered in an aluminum compound. They found that some buckled under pressure while others fractured.