Effect of mixing method on selected properties of acrylic bone cement

The present study was an investigation of the effect of the method of mixing the constituents of CMW(TM)3 bone cement on selected physical and mechanical properties of the fully polymerized cement Five such methods were used: hand mixing; ''active'' vacuum mixing; mixing in a machine that allowed simultaneous mechanical mixing and centrifugation; mixing using this machine followed by application of a ''passive'' vacuum; and application of a passive vacuum followed by mixing in the machine. It was found that the best overall results were obtained from cement that had been mixed using the second and fifth methods and the values of the properties were: density, 1220 to 1246 kg/ m(3); areal porosity, 0.02 to 7.04%; ultimate compressive strength, 84 to 112 MPa; ultimate compressive strain, 5.1 to 6.4%; and compressive modulus of elasticity, 2249 to 2877 MPa. (C) 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res (Appl Biomater) 38: 221-228, 1997.