= Larry L. Hench
{c}
{title2=1938–2015}
= L. L. Hench
{c}
{synonym}
\b[Larry L. Hench] (1938–2015) was a <materials scientist> known for developing <bioactive glass>: a <biomaterial> designed to form a bond with living <bone>. The National Academy of Engineering memorial records his name, dates and contribution to bioactive glasses and glass corrosion.https://www.nationalacademies.org/read/25543/chapter/26[Memorial Tributes, volume 22, printed p. 149, Larry L. Hench]{ref}
His own account explains the key experimental observation: early glass specimens implanted in rat femurs became bonded to <bone>. The scientific question was how the solid’s composition and its reactions with body fluid could create that interface. The proposed mechanism involved dissolution and formation of a mineral-rich surface layer, followed by biological attachment.<The Story of Bioglass by Larry Hench>[Printed pp. 10–14, original observations and interfacial reaction sequence]{ref} The earlier joint paper compared solubility and interfacial <hydroxyapatite> crystallization studies with implant <histology> and ultrastructure.<Bonding mechanisms at the interface of ceramic prosthetic materials by L. L. Hench and others>[Primary abstract]{ref}
This work changed the design question from simply finding a strong solid to understanding a solid–<tissue> system. A bond at the interface and sufficient bulk strength are distinct properties: a strong implant can still detach at its surface, while a bonded but weak material can fail internally. Testing where a loaded specimen separates helps distinguish these possibilities. That distinction connects Hench’s experimental approach to <biocompatibility>, <biomechanics> and <tissue engineering>.
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