The contribution of rheology for designing hydroxyapatite biomaterials

As a result of aging populations in the industrialized world, the development of biomaterials for bone tissue engineering is becoming increasingly important. Rheology, which is a key parameter in process engineering, plays a decisive role in designing these biomaterials. As a prime example of biomaterials engineering, this review focuses on formulations that are based on hydroxyapatite (HAp). More specifically, we will discuss the contribution of rheology for designing injectable bone replacement materials, composite gel scaffolds, porous scaffolds and scaffolds that can be generated using rapid prototyping or 3D printing techniques.