Biomedical applications of polymer-composite materials: a review

An overview of various biomedical applications of polymer-composite materia ls reported in the literature over the last 30 years is presented in this p aper. For the benefit of the readers, general information regarding structu re and function of tissues, types and purpose of implants/medical devices, and various other materials used, are also briefly presented. Different typ es of polymer composite that are already in use or are investigated for var ious biomedical applications are presented. Specific advantages of using po lymer-composite biomaterials in selected applications are also highlighted. The paper also examines the critical issues and scientific challenges that require further research and development of polymer composite materials fo r their increased acceptance in the biomedical industry. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.