Tag Archives: Biomaterials

Biomaterials: An Introduction

Biomaterials: An IntroductionJoon Bu Park; Springer 2007WorldCatLibraryThingGoogle BooksBookFinder 

Biomaterials: An Introduction

Biomaterials: An Introduction

ISBN 0387378790 –  562 pages   $109 on Amazon  Published August 2007

This is a text that could be best characterized as sharing aspects between the detailed reference manual / phone book that Biomaterials Science by Ratner represents, while still having some linear focus on progressive fundamentals as exemplified in the superb text Introduction to Biomaterials by Agrawal.

It excels at having numerous illustrations and images while possessing some rather unique and informative tables and figures that underscore important concepts in this field. The math isn’t terribly difficult and in addition I also noticed numerous worked examples which is something I feel more engineering books should work on.

For an undergrad class, this is probably more of a supplementary text as the density of information will tend to dissuade younger, less persistent students. For a grad class, the age of the book being greater than 8 years may be seen as a detraction compared to a recent cutting edge text.

While I love new texts on science, I have often found relatively obscure knowledge in older books and have learned to appreciate their place on my shelf.

Introduction to Biomaterials: Basic Theory with Engineering Applications

Introduction to Biomaterials: Basic Theory with Engineering Applications by C. Mauli Agrawal, Joo L. Ong, Mark R. Appleford and Gopinath Mani

Introduction to Biomaterials: Basic Theory with Engineering Applications

Introduction to Biomaterials: Basic Theory with Engineering Applications

ISBN 0521116902 –  419 pages  $72 on Amazon              Published December 16, 2013 Cambridge University Press

This was one of the books for my Biomaterials class and it is one of the best undergrad level texts I have reviewed in a long time. The unanimous 5 star reviews on Amazon so far appear to show agreement from other students and reviewers.

The overall organization, balance and layout of the information is close to perfect, though I probably would have rearranged the chapter sequence slightly which is a small quibble. It is relatively easy to read given the concepts presented, but a previous education in materials science, organic chemistry and human / cell physiology is very helpful for putting it all together.

There is an abundance of well-done illustrations, photos, tables and diagrams which make this complex and interdisciplinary subject very accessible and this is the sort of text I wish I had as a kid. What is particularly strong and useful about this text is that they not only walk the reader through the fundamentals, but also cover a number of adjacent subjects such as characterization, surface modification, biological systems, implant sterilization, and even natural biomaterials such as collagen, alginate, silk and coral.

As for the math, there are some formulas given, and while there are other books devoted to materials science, I wish this book had gone into more detail and had back of the envelope worked examples that more fully explored the numbers behind mechanical and chemical properties. But then again, the very title of this book states that it is only a basic theory book and focuses more on applications, so it delivers what it says and very well at that.

Cutting edge topics such as tissue engineering and the role of 3D printers is also touched on, so on the whole, you get a lot for a sub-$100 book.