NONSTATIONARY DIFFUSION IN HYDROLYTIC DEGRADATION OF A POROUS POLYMERIC MATRIX

The paper aims to develop a mathematical model for the investigation of degradation of a porous matrix of polylactic acid implanted in a bone tissue based on the study of kinetics of hydrolytic degradation of the matrix due to the action of a body fl uid and diff usion of lactic acid released as a result of a chemical reaction. The numerical solution of nonstationary nonlinear equation of lactic acid diff usion through the host tissue obtained by the fi nite diff erence method allows one to establish a relationship between the lactic acid density in the bone tissue with time and the density during the implanted matrix degradation as well as the density profi le of lactic acid in the bone tissue as a function of the kinetic reaction parameters for diff erent porosities. The validation of the model is verifi ed using the available experimental data.
   
Author:  E. A. Paz Estévez, R. Fagundo Mesa, N. V. Pavlyukevich
Keywords:  hydrolytic degradation, porous matrix, diff usion, polylactic acid, mathematical modeling, chemical reaction, Arrhenius law
Page:  1615