Mechanical and physical characterization of hydroxyapatite/alumina biocomposites produced by the powder metallurgy route for biomedical applications

Abstract

The hydroxyapatite calcium phosphate based ceramic (Hap) is widely used for bone repair, as it is a biocompatible biomaterial and because it has osteoconductive and osteoinductive properties. However, the low mechanical strength of Hap may limit its applicability. Thus, the present work aims to improve the mechanical properties of Hap, associating it with alumina (Al2O3), using the powder metallurgy technique, which consists in the milling of the precursor powders in a planetary ball mill, uniaxial pressing and sintering. The microstructure and mechanical strength of the sintered samples were evaluated using density, microhardness, compressive strength and wettability tests. It was concluded that the use of Al2O3 in the composite improves the mechanical properties of Hap, while decreases its hydrophilic potential. Thus, the composition with 40% Hap / 60% Al2O3 was considered the best for biomedical applications.

Synthesis of Hydroxyapatite (HAp)-Zirconia Nanocomposite Powder and Evaluation of Its Biocompatibility: An In Vitro Study

“…It has therefore been an intriguing area of study in recent years to add second-phase ceramic elements to the HAp matrix to produce products with increased strength and toughness [13]. Therefore, various materials such as alumina [14], titania [15], and silica [16] nanoparticles have been incorporated in order to increase the mechanical efficiency of HAp in hard tissue engineering. The effect of these nanoparticles in the formation of HAp-derived composites shows promising biomechanical properties for orthopedic applications [17].…”