Fabrication of porous alumina-hydroxyapatite composites via protein foaming-consolidation method: Effect of sintering temperature

Abstract

In this study, porous alumina-hydroxyapatite (HA) composite bodies were designed for the use in bone implant via protein foaming-consolidation method and the effect of sintering temperature was investigated. Commercial HA powder was used as a bioactive ceramic. Alumina and HA powders were mixed with yolk at an adjusted mass ratio to make slurry. The slurries were cast into cylindrical shaped molds and then dried for foaming and consolidation process. Subsequently, the dried bodies were burned at 600°C for 1 h, followed by sintering at temperatures of 1200, 1350, 1400 and 1550°C for 2 h, respectively. The results show that the sintered bodies were porous with pore size in the range of 20-250 μm and porosity of 42 – 45 %. Increasing sintering temperature from 1200 to 1550°C improved compressive strength from 1 MPa to 8 MPa. TCP phase was found in sintered bodies.