MICROHARDNESS ANISOTROPY OF LAMELLAR BONE

The Knoop microhardness test has been utilised to observe in-plane mic rohardness anisotropy of rat tibiae. The elongated rhombohedral geomet ry of the Knoop indenter enables the Knoop microhardness (H-K) to be c alculated for a given indenter orientation. Two indenter orientations were used: the major axis of the indenter was aligned along the length of, and across the mid-sagittal section. The statistical analysis dem onstrated that the variation in H-K was primarily due to the orientati on of the Knoop indenter (p < 0.001). H-K was consistently greater whe n the indenter was aligned with the major diagonal radial on the mid-s agittal section. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.