New aspects of the effect of size and size distribution on the setting parameters and mechanical properties of acrylic bone cements

The effect of the size and the size distribution of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) beads on the classical kinetic parameters, peak temperature and setting time, for acrylic bone cement formulations prepared with PMMA particles in the range 10-60 mu m of average diameter and a relatively wide size distribution is analysed. In addition, the combined effects of the concentration of the free radical initiator benzoyl peroxide and the activator N,N-dimethyl-4-toluidine for the different particle sizes are studied and compared with those of commercially available formulations like CMW or Rostal. The results obtained indicate that the use of PMMA particles with average diameter of 50-60 mu m, and a relatively wide size distribution (10-140 mu m diameter), significantly changes the curing parameters (peak temperature and setting time) of the cement formulations in comparison with the classical behaviour of the commercial systems CMW and Rostal, without any noticeable loss in the mechanical properties, such as tensile strength, elastic moduli, compressive strength and plastic strain.