Biomimetic spongy bone with tunable porosity for variable compressive and bending strength

Purpose The purpose of this study is to design an artificial bone that mimics the skeletal structure of the human knee. Design/methodology/approach Voronoi diagram was used to create a replica bone comparable to human spongy bone. The replica bone was fabricated using a 3D printer. Furthermore, a composite spongy bone was created by applying the human body’s cortical bone ratio. It was then developed as a replica bone specimen, and its mechanical strength was assessed. The interior porosity of the fabricated specimen can be controlled by modifying the design parameters. Findings The external shape of the knee bone and its internal spongy bone can both be replicated. Artificial bones can be customized considering age, osteoporosis and knee arthritis. Originality/value This study evaluates the mechanical strength of spongy bone through experiments and illustrates the impact of replicating its structure and properties on artificial bone fabrication. The ability to control the internal porosity and mimic the mechanical and structural properties of human spongy bone has potential applications in medical fields including biomedical engineering.