Abstract
Calcium hydroxyapatite bioceramic was toughened by preparing composites with silver particles as reinforcements. The composites were fabricated from hydroxyapatite and silver oxide raw powders. The sintering behaviour was investigated using dilatometry. An optimized sintering programme was designed to promote densification and to suppress the decomposition of the hydroxyapatite matrix and the evaporation of silver. High density was achieved on both small cylinder samples and large block samples by pressureless sintering. The density of the composites is over 92.4% theoretical with silver inclusions up to 30 vol%. The strength of the composites is greater than 80 MPa as tested by four-point bending. Silver inclusions improve the toughness consistently, from 0.70 MPa m1/2 for the monolithic hydroxyapatite to 2.45 MPa m1/2 at 30 vol% silver. Studies on the toughening mechanism indicate that crack bridging and subsequent plastic work of silver are mostly responsible for the toughening, whereas crack deflection also makes some contribution.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
G. DE WITH, H. J. VAN DIJK, N. HATTU and K. PRIJS, J. Mater. Sci. 16 (1981) 1592.
G. DE WITH and A. J. CORBIJN, ibid. 24 (1989) 3411.
A. J. RUYS, K. A. ZEIGLER, B. K. MILTHORPE and C. C. SORRELL, in “Ceramics Adding the Value”, “Proceedings of the International Ceramic Conference”, Vol. 1, Australia, 1992, edited by M. J. Bannister (CSIRO Publication, Melbourne, 1992) p. 598.
T. NOMA, N. SHOJI, S. WADA and T. SUZUKI, J. Ceram. Soc. Jpn. 100 (1992) 1157.
M. YOSHIMURA, K. IOKU and S. SOMIYA, in “Euro-Ceramics”, Vol. 3, “Engineering Ceramics”, edited by G. de With, R. A. Terpstra and R. Metselaar (Elsevier Applied Science London, 1989) p. 16.
HUAXIA JI and P. M. MARQUIS, J. Mater. Sci. 28 (1993) 1941.
M. TAKAGI, M. MOCHIDA, N. UCHIDA, K. SAITO and K. UEMATSU, J. Mater. Sci., Mater. Med. 3 (1992) 199.
A. ROYER, J. C. VIGUIE, M. HEUGHEBAERT and J. C. HEUGHEBAERT, ibid. 4 (1993) 76.
P. E. WANG and T. K. CHAKI, ibid. 4 (1993) 150.
X. ZHANG, G. H. M. GUBBELS, R. A. TERPSTRA and R. METSELAAR, in “Third Euro-Ceramics”, Vol. 3, edited by P. Duran and J. F. Fernandez (Faenza, Editrice Iberica S.L., Castellon de la Plana, 1993) p. 31.
Idem, in “Proceedings of the 8th CIMTEC, Ceramics: Charting the Future, Advance in Science and Technology”, edited by P. Vincenzini (Techna, Faenza, 1995) p. 2125.
L. S. SIGL, P. A. MATAGA, B. J. DALGLEISH and R. M. McMEEKING, Acta Metall. 36 (1988) 945.
M. F. ASHBY, F. J. BLUNT and M. BANNISTER, ibid. 37 (1989) 1847.
J. A. SPADARO, S. E. CHASE and D. A. WEBSTER, J. Biomed. Mater. Res. 20 (1986) 565.
J. A. SPADARO, R. J. DISTEFANNO and S. E. CHASE, in “The 17th Annual Meeting of the Society for Biomaterials”, Scottsdale, Arizona, USA, 1–5 May 1991, edited by J. Russell Parsons (Society for Biomaterials, Newark, 1991) p. 52.
T. K. CHAKI and P. E. WANG, J. Mater. Sci. Mater. Med. 5 (1994) 533.
R. A. TERPSTRA, J. C. T. VAN DER HEIJDE, P. SWAANEN, X. ZHANG and G. GUBBELS, in “Third Euro-Ceramics”, Vol. 3, edited by P. Duran and J. F. Fernandez (Faenza Editrice Iberica S.L., Castellon de la Plana, 1993) p. 61.
B. J. DE SMET, “Young's Modulus Measurements on an Alumina and a Borosilicate Bar Loaded in Three and Four Point Bending”, Petten: Netherlands Energy Research Foundation ECN (ECN-I; 90041) (1990).
X. ZHANG, Thesis, Eindhoven University of Technology, The Netherlands (1994).
D. MUNZ and T. FETT, “Mechanische Verhalten keramischer Werkstoffe” (Springer Berlin, Germany, 1989).
H. PALMOUR III, M. L. HUCKABEE and T. M. HARE, in “Sintering –New Developments”, edited by M. M. Ristic (Elsevier Science, Amsterdam, 1979) p. 46.
H. KAWAHARA, in “Ceramics in Surgery”, edited by P. Vincenzini (Elsevier Science, Amsterdam, 1983) p. 49.
L. L. HENCH, J. Am. Ceram. Soc. 74 (1991) 1487.
T. KANAZAWA, “Inorganic Phosphate Materials” in “Materials Science Monographs” 52 Part (Elsevier, Amsterdam, 1989).
S. F. HULBERT, in “Proceedings of the 8th CIMTEC, Ceramics: Charting the Future, Advance in Science and Technology”, edited by P. Vincenzini (Techna, Faenza, 1995).
G. K. BANSAL and W. H. DUCKWORTH, “Fracture Mechanics Applied to Brittle Materials”, in ASTM STP 678, edited by S. W. Freiman (American Society for Testing and Materials, Philadelphia, PA, 1979) p. 38.
K. T. FABER and A. G. EVANS, Acta Metall. 31 (1983) 565.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
ZHANG, X., GUBBELS, G.H.M., TERPSTRA, R.A. et al. Toughening of calcium hydroxyapatite with silver particles. Journal of Materials Science 32, 235–243 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1018568308926
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1018568308926