Dr. Rizhi Wang

Professor

Canada Research Chair B.Eng (Zhejiang) , M.A.Sc, Ph.D. (Harbin), P.Eng

Email: Rizhi.Wang@ubc.ca

Phone: 604-822-9752

Research and Teaching Interests

Biomaterials, biomechanics, biomimetics

Current Research Work

Biomaterials

Biomaterials is a newly developed field that combines two technologies key to the prosperity of the 21st century: Biotechnology and Materials Science and Engineering. A biomaterial is a material used either to replace and repair living tissues, or to help them function properly. Typical examples are those used in artificial hip joints, artificial heart, drug delivery systems, dental implants and various biosensors. My research is focused on the surface and interfacial issues common to most biomaterials systems. One project is aimed at developing novel surface designs and processing techniques on metal implants. Bioactive ceramics, proteins, drugs and their composites with specific patterns are being processed on implant surfaces. The goal is to regulate cell response and tissue organization and therefore to improve implant/tissue integrity. Research on the wear mechanisms at artificial knee and hip joints and wear resistant coatings (e.g. diamond-like carbon) is underway to better understand the surface and interfacial performance of biomaterials under biological environment.

Primary Collaborators: Don Brunette (Dentistry/UBC), Tom Troczynski (UBC),Göran Fernlund (UBC), Kwang-Ryeol Lee, (KIST, Korea)

Biomechanics

Biomechanics deals with the structure and function of biological systems using the methods of mechanics and materials. One important direction is the structure and mechanical functions of bone and teeth. Each year, millions of peoples suffer from bone loss and fracture, or dental problems due to aging, diseases and accidents. In order to prevent bone fracture, develop new drugs against diseases, or even develop new orthopedic and dental materials, it is essential to explore bone and teeth as material subjects down to nanometer scale.

Research activities are thus built around the deformation and fracture mechanisms of bone family materials (i.e. bone and teeth). Experiments are designed to reveal the nanocomposite nature of bone and its totally different mechanical behaviour in tension vs. compression. The goal is to generate a clear picture of how the structures, starting from nanometer scale, in such a natural biological material as bone are adapted to their complicated and dynamic mechanical functions. This study will help us to understand the materials mechanism of some clinical bone fractures such as hip fracture.

Primary Collaborators: Anthony Evans (UCSB), Thomas Oxland (VGH/UBC)

Biomimetics

(also called bio-inspired materials design and processing) studies the structure and formation processes of biologically formed materials (e.g. seashells, silk, teeth) and applies the mechanisms to the design and processing of novel materials. In the case of interfaces, it has been known that some biological hard tissues are often composed of multi layers with distinct and strong interfaces.

Typical examples are interfaces between enamel and dentin layers in human teeth. How could those biological interfaces work effectively to fulfill the heavy mechanical functions? The answers could provide meaningful solutions to the interfacial problems in orthopedic implants explained above. Current research focuses on the morphology, ultrastructure and mechanics of those biological interfaces, based on which novel surface and interface design can be developed.

Publications

Refereed Journal Publications

  • Wanghui Wei, Yanqiu Chub, Rizhi Wang, Xiaodan He, and Chuanfan Ding, Quantifying non-covalent binding affinity using mass spectrometry: A systematic study on complexes of cyclodextrins with alkali metal cations, Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry, 29 (2015) 927-936.
  • Sheng-Nan Wang, Xin-Qiao Zhu, Xiao-Hui Yan, Jing-Fei Deng, Rizhi Wang and Xiao-Xiang Wang, Nanostructured individual nacre tablet: a subtle designed organic-inorganic composite, CrystEngComm, 17 (2015) 2964-2968.
  • Tengtenq Tang, Vincent Ebacher, Peter Cripton, Pierre Guy, Heather McKay, Rizhi Wang, Shear deformation and fracture of human cortical bone, Bone, 71 (2015) 25-35.
  • Mehdi Kazemzadeh-Narbat, Qiong Wang, Robert E W Hancock, Rizhi Wang, Antimicrobial Peptide Delivery from Trabecular Bone Grafts, Journal of Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering, Vol. 4, 1-6, 2014.
  • Wei Wanghui, Wang Qing, Chu Yanqiu, Wang Rizhi, Ding Chuanfan, Fragmentation Reactions of Complexes of Alkali Metal Ions with Pentaserine, Pentaleucine and Pentalysine in Gas Phase, Chemical Journal of Chinese Universities, 35 (2014) 37-47.
  • Ya Shen, Hui-min Zhou, Les Campbell, Zhejun Wang, Rizhi Wang and Markus Haapasalo, Fatigue and Nanomechanical Properties of K3XF Nickel Titanium Instruments, International Endodontic Journal, Article first published online: 47 (2014) 1160-1167.
  • Youxin Hu, Yaser Shanjani, Ehsan Toyserkani, Marc Grynpas, Rizhi Wang, Robert Pilliar. Porous calcium polyphosphate bone substitutes: Additive manufacturing versus conventional gravity sinter processing-Effect on structure and mechanical properties, Journal of Biomedical Materials Research B, 102 (2014) 274-283.
  • Sheng-Nan Wang, Xiao-Hui Yan, Rizhi Wang, Da-Hui Yu, Xiao-Xiang Wang, A microstructural study of individual nacre tablet of Pinctada maxima, Journal of Structural Biology 183 (2013) 404-411.
  • Mehdi Kazemzadeh-Narbat, Benjamin Lai, Chuanfan Ding, Jayachandran N. Kizhakkedathu, Robert E W Hancock and Rizhi Wang, Multilayered Coated Titanium for Controlled Release of Antimicrobial Peptides for the Prevention of Implant-Associated Infections, Biomaterials, 34 (2013) 5969-5977 .
  • Felipe Eltit. Vincent Ebacher, Rizhi Wang, Inelastic Deformation and Microcracking Process in Human Dentin, Journal of Structural Biology, 183 (2013) 141-148.
  • Millie Kwan, Rizhi Wang. Bio-Fabrication of Nacre on Conventional Implant Materials, Key Engineering Materials Vols. 529-530 (2013) pp 255-260. (Based on the paper presented to Bioceramics-24).
  • Mehdi Kazemzadeh-Narbat, Shahryar Noordin, Bassam A. Masri, Donald S. Garbuz, Clive P. Duncan, Robert E.W. Hancock, Rizhi Wang, Drug Release and Bone Growth Studies of Antimicrobial Peptide-Loaded Calcium Phosphate Coating on Titanium. Journal of Biomedical Materials Research B, 100B (2012) 1344-1352.
  • Vincent Ebacher, Pierre Guy, Thomas R. Oxland, Rizhi Wang, Sub-Lamellar Microcracking and the Roles of the Canalicular Network in Human Haversian Bone, Acta Biomaterialia, 8 (2012) 1093-1100.
  • Ke Duan, Donald Garbuz, Helen Burt, Tomas R. Oxland, Bas Masri, Clive Duncan, Rizhi Wang, Local delivery of Alendronate to enhance early fixation of porous tantalum to rabbit cortical bone, Nano LIFE, 2 (2012) 1250007-(1-13).
  • Menghan Ma, Mehdi Kazemzadeh-Narbat, Yu Hui, Shanshan Lu, Chuanfan Ding, David D.Y. Chen, Robert E W Hancock and Rizhi Wang, Local Delivery of Antimicrobial Peptides Using Self-Organized Ti02 Nanotube Arrays for Peri-implant Infection, Journal of Biomedical Materials Research A, 100 (2012) 278-285.
  • Jian-peng, Zou, Rizhi Wang,Debonding phenomenon of Ti02 nanotube film, Trans. Nonferrous Met. Soc. China, 22 (2012) 2691-2699.
  • Jian-peng. Zou, Rizhi Wang.Buckling pattern of Ti02 nanotube film, Trans. Nonferrous Met. Soc. China,22 (2012) 2164-2170.
  • Jian-peng. Zou, Rizhi Wang, Crack initiation, propagation and saturation of Ti02 nanotube film, Trans. Nonferrous Met. Soc. China, 22 (2012) 627-633.
  • Xiao-Hui Yan.Sheng-Nan Wang.Xiao-Juan Zhang,Xiao-Xiang Wang and Rizhi Wang, Arrangement of intra-crystalline organic matrix in nacre from red abalone: A view by high-resolution synchrotron powder diffraction combined with SEMObservation, CrystEngComm, 13 (2011) 7202-7206.
  • Rizhi Wang, Himadri S. Gupta, Deformation and fracture mechanisms of bone and nacre, Annual Review of Materials Research, 41 (2011) 41–73.
  • Guangzheng Gao, Dirk Lange, Kai Hilpert, Jason Kindrachuk, Yuquan Zou, John, T. J. Cheng, Mehdi Kazemzadeh, Kai Yu, Rizhi Wang, Suzana K. Straus, Donald E. Brooks, Ben H. Chew, Robert E.W. Hancock, Jayachandran N. Kizhakkedathu, Implant Coating that is highly Biocompatible, Antimicrobial and Biofilm Resistant in vitro and in vivo, Biomaterials, 32 (2011) 3899-3909.
  • Mehdi Kazemzadeh-Narbat, Jason Kindrachuk, Ke Duan, Havard Jenssen, Robert E W Hancock, Rizhi Wang Antimicrobial peptides on calcium phosphate-coated titanium for the prevention of implant­ associated infections. Biomaterials, 31 (2010) 9519-9526.
  • Jaya Sundaram, Tim Durance, Rizhi Wang, Physical Characterization of Drug Loaded Microcapsules and Controlled in Vitro Release Study, The Open Biomaterials Journal, 2(2010) 9-17.
  • Ke Duan, Jie Weng, Rizhi Wang, Processing of Biomimetic Calcium Phosphate Coatings on Hydrophilic Surfaces, Chemical Engineering (The Taiwan I. Ch. E.), 57 (2010), No.1, 52-58. (in Chinese)
  • Xiu-Hong Wang, Ke Duan, Bo Feng, Jie Weng, Rizhi Wang, New Chemical surface treatment for the preparation of biomimetic calcium phosphate coatings on Ti6Al4V, Chemical Journal of Chinese Universities, 30 (2009) 1071-1074 (in Chinese).

    • Refereed Conference Proceedings

  • Vincent Ebacher, Rizhi Wang*, Circumferential Arc-Shaped Microcracks in Haversian Bone: Lead-Uranyl Acetate Staining for Micro-CT Imaging. In “Structure-Property Relationships in Biomineralized and Biomimetic Composites”, MRS Symposium Proceedings Volume: 1187 Pages:141-146.MRS Spring Meeting, San Francisco, USA, April 14-17, 2009.
  • Vincent Ebacher*, Cecilia Tang, Heather McKay, Thomas R. Oxland, and Rizhi Wang. Deformation of long bones during bending to fracture. Proceedings of the 24th Canadian Biomaterials Society Conference. (May 25th – May 28th 2005, Waterloo, Ontario). pp 27-28.
  • L. Silva, V. Ebacher, D.M. Liu,·H. McKay, T. R. Oxland, and R.Z. Wang*. Elasticity and Visoelasticity of Human Cortical Bone by Nanoindentation. In “Structure and Mechanical Behavior if Biological Materials”, MRS Symposium Proceedings Volume 874, Edited by Peter Fratzl, William Landis, Rizhi Wang, and Fred H. Silver. pp. 91-96.MRS Spring Meeting, San Francisco, USA, March 28-April1, 2005.
  • Y.W. Fan*, K. Duan, and R. Wang. Biomimetic processing of collagen-calcium phosphate composite coatings by electrolysis-induced self-assembly and mineralization. In “Biological and Bio-Inspired Materials and Devices”, MRS Symposium Proceedings Volume 823, Edited by Joanna Aizenberg, William Landis, Christine Orme, and Rizhi Wang. Materials Research Society. pp. 69-74.MRS Spring Meeting, San Francisco, USA, April 12-16, 2004.
  • K. Duan, Y.W. Fan, and R. Wang*. Electrochemical Deposition and Patterning of Calcium Phosphate Bioceramic Coating, 105th Annual Meeting of the American Ceramic Society, April 27-30, 2003, Nashville, TN. Ceramics Trans 147 (2003), Edited by Veeraraghavan V. Sundar, Richard P. Rusin, and Claire A. Rutiser. pp. 53-61.
  • R.Z. Wang, T.C. Lei, S.P. Tan, S.W. Sun, and J.L. Chen. Deformation and Restoration Behavior of Austenite-Ferrite Structures in Low Carbon Steels, Proc. of Int. Symp. On Physical Simulation, Delft, the Netherlands, 1992, April 22-24, pp. 137-140.

    • Resources

    Biomaterials Web site

    <img src=”https://apsc-mtrl.sites.olt.ubc.ca/files/2020/08/wang_fig1.png” alt=”wang_fig1″ width=”217″

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    Figure I. Bioimplants and biosensors

    wang_fig2

    Figure II. Bone fracture surface

    <img src=”https://apsc-mtrl.sites.olt.ubc.ca/files/2020/08/wang_fig3.png” alt=”wang_fig3″ width=”241″

    height=”334″ />

    Figure III. Inelastic stress strain