Processing of Ultralight Porous Al2O3-Ceramics by Biotemplating of Bamboo

Abstract

Biomorphic alumina ceramic with a long, large and oriented growth of alpha alumina grains suitable for the devices such as prosthetic implants, dental implant and control drug release etc. Ultralight porous alumina was synthesized from a carbonaceous preform derived from bamboo using biotemplating technique. Carbonaceous preform (C-preform) of bamboo precursor was prepared by controlled thermal processing in a muffle furnace for pore formation. Al2O3 was inserted into C-preforms by sol-gel method applying repeated infiltration of low viscous Al2O3-sol and then dried and sintered at 1500°C in air atmosphere resulting of an ultra-light monophasic Al2O3 ceramics with replication of the pore structure of the bamboo C-preforms. The microstructure of porous Al2O3 was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Open hierarchical porous structures surrounded by alumina struts web with nominal porosity of 80% inside the biomaterial are visualized which lacking of interconnectivity and low strength.