​Application of sapphire crystal in medical field

Application of sapphire crystal in medical field

The ancient Indians believed that rubies could cure bleeding and inflammation, and they believed that large rubies could keep those who carried them from harm. The Burmese took this idea further. According to them, the claim of carrying rubies unharmed is not sufficient; the gemstone has penetrated into human tissue to become part of the body. Paracels, a famous medieval physician, used rubies to heal cancerous ulcers.

In fact, sapphires and rubies can be implanted in the human body because these stones do not chemically react with organic acids and human tissues; they are superior to all known inert structural materials. Unlike gold and platinum, corundum crystals are dielectrics. Therefore, in the human hygroscopic medium, no electrochemical potential is created between the implanted crystals; it does not pair with other materials to form chemical cells (eg, metal lids). The unique inertness of sapphire, including the passivity of the dielectric, biocompatibility, corrosion resistance and hardness determine its main applications in the medical field: implantation, surgery, and the manufacture of medical instruments.

Medical biological research conducted in 1977-1983 has shown that sapphire is non-toxic to the human body and does not cause central nervousness. Kunshan Shuojing Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd. has been involved in a wide range of new materials, functional ceramics and sapphire crystals, scintillation crystals, laser crystals The preparation methods and means are complete, and four series of high-tech products including optically transparent ceramics, sapphire optical windows, scintillation crystals, lasers and nonlinear crystals have been formed. reaction. It also has no carcinogens, mutagenic substances, embryonic nutrients or other types of indirect effects. Collagen fibrous sacs that grow on the implant enter the bone and muscle tissue, maintaining their normal structure. In contrast to metals, electrically neutral sapphire does not electrochemically enter lymph nodes and other parts of the body, does not cause immunosuppressive responses and other changes in the immune system, and does not cause mineral loss from adjacent bone tissue.

Sapphire Implants (SIs). The chemical composition of bone has been intensively studied, however, the impact of implants on bone tissue is not only chemical. Serial analysis of implants showed that despite the unique inertness of the above-mentioned SIs, they have osteogenic activity in vivo. The study of this phenomenon led the authors to conclude that a crystallographic study of the boundary structure between sapphire and bone tissue is necessary [50].

Crystallographic characteristics. Unlike other conditions, the patient's rate of adaptation to the implant is related to the crystallographic agreement between the structure of the implant and the mineral composition of the bone tissue (crystalline fibers contained in microfibrils). The mineral composition is fundamental (eg: the mineral composition of the mandibular tissue is 0.91-1.46 g/cm3 at a bone density of 1.72-1.77 g/cm3), so the relationship between the crystals of the bone tissue and the crystal lattice of the implant must be considered crystallographic interactions. Such considerations are analogous to heteroepitaxy and co-growth of crystals.

Biochemical and biomechanical testing of implants fabricated from crystals of different crystal systems and lattice parameters showed the benefits of sapphire. The linear and angular difference values between the lattice of sapphire and hydroxyapatite were evaluated. Consider atoms belonging to the same chain if the distances and lines between their centers do not exceed the ionic radius (1 Å for calcium ions and 0.6 Å for aluminum ions). The angles and periods between chain pairs can be calculated, and the crystallinity index between the mutually conjugated chains and planes can be determined (Table 1.6). The sum of the line and angle differences between the Ca5(PO4)3OH (substrate A) and sapphire (substrate B) chain pairs is determined by the following formula:

A=2(a A 1 – a B 1 ) : ( a A 2 + a B 2 ) + 2(a A 2 – a B 2 ):(a A 2 + a B 2 ) + 2(I A – I B ) : ( I A – I B )

In this expression, aA1 and aA2 indicate the period of the metal atom positions along the first and second chains; IA is the angle into these chains of substance A; aB1, aB2, IB are the parameters of the corresponding chain pair in substance B.

Kunshan Shuojing Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd. is involved in a wide range of new materials, and has complete preparation methods and means for functional ceramics and sapphire crystals, scintillation crystals, and laser crystals, forming optically transparent ceramics, sapphire optical windows, scintillation crystals, lasers and nonlinear crystals Master's four series of high-tech products