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The understanding of how tissues and body structures behave is largely aided by using straightforward engineering test methods such as compression, tension, and torsion tests. The knowledge of the functional behavior of body tissues is a prerequisite for the development of implant devices and materials. The mechanical and elastic properties of bones and bone tissue are determined. One of the important questions in biomaterials science is who is going to provide the requirements these materials have to fulfill and who is going to relate fundamental life science aspects into materials design and engineering. The least one can say is that an understanding of each one's techniques, results, and limitations among the different disciplines is required. Subjects which are thus treated are the strength and relationship to structure of metals and ceramics, the shape memory alloys, the principles of corrosion and electrode functioning, wear, surface coatings, and surface active materials.

In general thermoplastic polymers are made up of long linear chain molecules which exhibit large scale chain mobility and deformation under shear forces above their softening temperature. This change is reversible. Above this temperature the thermal motions of the chain segments are sufficient to overcome inter- and intra-molecular forces. At room temperature the material is a viscoelastic solid. Their behaviour is dependent on chain morphology, structure, crystallinity and the types of additives added (often to aid processing). The materials can easily be processed into different type of products and are considered to be the most important class of plastic materials commercially available. The proeessability of this class of plastics is a key characteristic for developing biomedical applications.