Micro- and Nano-Indentation of a Hydroxyapatite-Carbon Nanotube Composite
The mechanical properties of pure synthetic hydroxyapatite and hydroxyapatite-carbon nanotube composites were examined. Vickers microhardness and nanoindentation using a Berkovich tipped indenter were used to determine the hardness, fracture toughness and Young's modulus of the pure
hydroxyapatite matrix and the composite materials. Microscopy showed that for the composites produced the carbon nanotubes were present as discrete clumps. These clumps induced a detrimental effect on the hardness of the materials, while the fracture toughness values were not affected. This
would be undesirable in terms of using the material for biomedical implant applications. It should be noted that the carbon nanotubes used contained free graphite. As the properties of the composite materials studied were not greatly improved over the matrix, it is speculated that if the graphite
phase were removed from the reagent, this could in-turn enhance the properties of the material.
Keywords: CARBON NANOTUBE; COMPOSITE; HYDROXYAPATITE; MICRO-INDENTATION; NANO-INDENTATION
Document Type: Research Article
Publication date: 01 August 2008
- Journal for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (JNN) is an international and multidisciplinary peer-reviewed journal with a wide-ranging coverage, consolidating research activities in all areas of nanoscience and nanotechnology into a single and unique reference source. JNN is the first cross-disciplinary journal to publish original full research articles, rapid communications of important new scientific and technological findings, timely state-of-the-art reviews with author's photo and short biography, and current research news encompassing the fundamental and applied research in all disciplines of science, engineering and medicine.
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