Numerical 3D simulation of the porous microstructures of β‐TCP using accessible tools: A Young modulus approach

Abstract The design of biomaterials highly biomimetic of bone has been associated with chemical compositions rich in metal ions, as well as with the replication of different levels of physiological porosity, fundamental for the interconnectivity, and consequent vascularization of the tissue. The usual numerical models that replicate the microstructure of bioceramics are mainly based on a highly complex molecular scale. In this work, easy‐to‐obtain real two‐dimensional (2D) microstructure images of bioceramics are used to obtain the digital three‐dimensional (3D) microstructure of tricalcium phosphate (TCP) doped with several metal ions and four levels of porosity. The methodology for segmenting the two‐phase microstructure (dense TCP and pores), its grain boundaries, area and grain size distribution was calculated to obtain three numerical representative volume sizes of 7, 11, and 15 µm 3 . Young modulus calculations showed an excellent similarity with experimental values, and much higher proximity than literature‐available analytical methods:. 9.3 GPa, 24.9 GPa, 32.5 GPa, and 40.4 GPa for 48.5%, 30.2%, 18.9%, and 10.3% of porosity, respectively, with higher accuracy correlated with the use of higher edge length values.