MSE Seminar: Kathryn Grandfield, McMaster University

Description

Correlative Multidimensional Imaging of Bone and Biomaterials with Electron and Atom Probe Tomography

Biominerals, like bone, have intricate hierarchical structures that span the micrometer to nanometer scale. Biomineralization at biomaterials interfaces plays a key role in the success of dental and orthopaedic implants. However, the exact bonding mechanism between bone and implants is unclear. In fact, there still remains a debate on the structure of bone itself at the nanometer scale. To accelerate our understanding of bone, and the design of new biomaterials, we are investigating the interaction of titanium implants with human bone, and bone ultrastructure, using a wide range of structural and chemical characterization techniques that span multiple length scales. This talk will explore how advanced multidimensional correlative imaging techniques, such as electron tomography and atom probe tomography, can be used to understand the structure and chemistry of mineralized tissues and their attachment to metallic implant devices. The advantages of multi-length scale microscopies, which extend far beyond the application to biomaterials, will be highlighted.