Sintering behavior and mechanical properties of biphasic calcium phosphate ceramics

Abstract

The sintering behavior and the mechanical properties of a mechanical mixture of hydroxyapatite and tricalcium phosphate (BCP) ceramics with the composition of 30% HA and 70% TCP are experimentally investigated in the temperature range between 1000°C and 1300°C. The results show that consolidation, grain growth, and Vickers hardness generally increase with increasing sintering temperature up to 1200°C. However, microstructure observation indicates that cracks are formed along the grain boundaries as well as in the bulk of the grains after sintering at 1200°C. Moreover, the best values of compressive strength, modulus of elasticity, and toughness are achieved in the samples sintered at 1100°C. These properties at 1100°C decay with sintering at 1200°C and increase again after sintering at 1300°C.