Effect of annealing temperature on the degradation of reinforcing fibers for absorbable implants.

Calcium phosphate fibers designed for reinforcement of bioabsorbable fracture fixation devices were evaluated for their properties upon annealing. The composition of these fibers were 54% PO4, 27% Ca, 12% ZnO, 2.5% NaPO3, and 4.5% Fe2O3, and they were either not annealed, annealed at 250 degrees C, or annealed at 420 degrees C. Chemical degradation, mass loss, and morphology upon degradation were studied. Chemical degradation was performed in Tris-buffered HCl, while mass loss and morphologic studies were performed in both physiologic and nonphysiologic solutions. The results showed that degradation rates for fibers were inversely proportional to the annealing temperature. Mass loss analysis of fibers immersed in the two physiologic solutions (calf serum and simulated body fluid) revealed little change in fiber diameter up to 60 days. Morphologic examination revealed little change in fibers immersed in the two physiologic solutions until 60 days, after which thin shells were found to be peeling off the outer coating of the fiber. Samples in tris-buffered HCl revealed a dramatic difference in mode of degradation among the three fibers. Fibers not annealed and those annealed at lower temperatures underwent a delaminating type of degradation that appeared to destroy the overall integrity of the fiber, whereas fibers annealed at 420 degrees C underwent crater-like deterioration in which the overall alignment of the fiber remained intact. It is therefore concluded that annealing fibers at higher temperatures also undergo a mode of degradation that allows them to maintain their structural integrity. Although annealing fibers close to glass transition temperature may produce an initially weaker fiber, chemical and physical degradation occur much slower, making these fibers most suitable for reinforcement of biodegradable implants.