A Mechanical Engineering Framework for Biomaterials in Healthcare Applications
John Chikaelo Okeke *
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria.
Chibuzo Ndubuisi Okoye
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria.
Augustine Uzodinma Madumere
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Biomaterials are fundamental to modern healthcare technologies, enabling advances in drug delivery, implants, diagnostics, and regenerative medicine. Although biomaterials research is often driven by biological and clinical considerations, their design, performance, and reliability are inherently governed by mechanical engineering principles. This review presents a comprehensive mechanical engineering-based framework for biomaterials used in healthcare applications, emphasizing materials selection, mechanics, transport phenomena, manufacturing routes, and nano–bio interactions. The framework highlights how established mechanical engineering principles can be used to rationally interpret and anticipate biomaterial behavior in physiological environments, thereby supporting predictive design thinking without relying on purely empirical approaches. Rather than focusing on a single theoretical approach, the paper integrates multiple engineering perspectives to illustrate how mechanical engineers contribute to the development of functional biomaterials across the health sector. Nanoparticle-based systems and bio-derived materials are discussed as representative examples, with cancer-related applications used as case studies to demonstrate the practical relevance and forward-looking nature of the proposed framework. The review aims to guide mechanical engineers entering biomedical research and to promote engineering-led, predictive design strategies for next-generation healthcare materials.
Keywords: Mechanical engineering, biomaterials, healthcare applications, nanoparticles, transport phenomena, nano–bio interactions