Structural and mechanical properties of the coral and nacre and the potentiality of their use as bone substitutes

The main objective of this work is to develop resistant compact material samples with different porosities from coral and nacre adapted to the filling of bone cavities. The characterization of materials was conducted using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and laser granulometry. The micro-hardness and the influence of porosity on the mechanical behavior of these biomaterials under compression as well as three-points bending tests were also assessed. Both materials showed similar particles size ranging from 50 to 100 μm in diameter, distributed according to the Gauss curve. The modal particle size, the median D50 and D90–D10 are the most important parameters which allow for the distinction between coral and nacre samples. The two biomaterials showed a micro hardness (138–167 HV for coral and 261–340 HV for nacre) higher than that of bovine bones (55–70 HV). The maximum compression stresses were 32.82 MPa for coral and 37.06 MPa for nacre at 50% of porosity. S–N curve with ASME format is constructed to predict the fatigue life extended from 101 to 106 cycles, which reveals an endurance limit at a compression stress ratio of about 10.