Precursor phenomena are critical issues for martensitic transformations. In this article, we show recent progress in understanding precursor phenomena to the R-phase transformation, which is important for both fundamentals and applications. Structural modulation in the parent phase was intensively studied by means of detailed analyses of the weak diffuse scattering of electrons with the aid of recently developed energy-filtered transmission electron microscopy coupled with x-ray diffraction. A peculiar domain-like structure, which originates from static transverse atomic displacements in the parent phase, was discovered by virtue of these advanced methods. The characteristics of this structure (e.g., size, shape, and temperature-dependence), as well as its role in the subsequent R-phase transformation, are discussed.

This article is based on the Outstanding Young Investigator Award presentation given by Kristi S. Anseth at the 2001 MRS Spring Meeting on April 17, 2001, in San Francisco. Anseth was recognized for “innovative work in polymeric biomaterials for drug delivery, bone and cartilage repair, and tissue engineering, and for outstanding leadership potential in this interdisciplinary field of materials research.”

Photopolymerization provides many advantages as a technique for the fabrication of biomaterials. Temporal and spatial control, along with the diversity in material properties found with photopolymerizable materials, are advantageous in the biomaterials industry. For instance, multifunctional anhydride monomers form highly cross-linked surface-eroding networks directly in bone defects. These networks have good mechanical properties that are maintained with degradation and have the potential to restore tissue-like properties to bone during the healing process. Additionally, cartilage-forming cells photoencapsulated in hydrogel networks secrete an extracellular matrix as the hydrogel is resorbed and may provide a treatment alternative for cartilage defects that do not heal spontaneously. Finally, transdermal polymerization (photopolymerization through the skin) of multifunctional monomers is a noninvasive technique that is being developed for tissue regeneration and wound-healing applications.