Du, X., Lee, S. S., Blugan, G., & Ferguson, S. J. (2022). Silicon Nitride as a Biomedical Material: An Overview. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 23(12), 6551.
What makes a biomedical material ideal? It should not only have excellent mechanical properties but also a favorable response to the physiological environment. This article shows that silicon nitride (Si3N4) is a leading choice for orthopedic implants due to its high strength, artifact-free imaging, and bio-responsiveness. Some of the advantages of silicon nitride over metals and polymers are that it has a higher compressive strength, higher fracture toughness, and promotes bone tissue healing while inhibiting bacterial proliferation.