Abstract
Beta-tricalcium phosphate ceramics [beta-TCP, Ca3(PO4)2] with enhanced mechanical properties were fabricated by liquid phase sintered at 1150°C for 3 h using the additives of akermanite and 45S5 bioglass (A4BG). Preliminary study showed that A4BG-10 composed of 10 wt-% akermanite and 90 wt-% 45S5 bioglass has a melting temperature of 1150°C, which is in the range of the sintering temperature of beta-TCP. Then, A4BG-10 was added into beta-TCP to provide liquid phase for improving mechanical properties. The results showed that the bending strength, compressive strength, compressive modulus and fracture toughness increased by 97·1, 167, 139 and 64% respectively, with the content of A4BG-10 up to 5 wt-%. It was attributed to the increase in compactness due to the decrease in the number of the pores, while the mechanical properties decreased with the further increase in A4BG-10, owing to the occurrence of cracks induced by the thermal stress.
Acknowledgements
The study was supported by the following grants: the Natural Science Foundation of China (grant nos. 51222506, 81102045 and 81000972); the foundation for the author of national excellent doctoral dissertation of PR China (grant nos. 201032); Program for the New Century Excellent Talents in University (grant nos. NCET-10-0792 and NCET-12-0544); the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (grant nos. 2011JQ005 and 2012QNZT015); the Fok Ying-Tong Education Foundation, China (grant no. 131050); Shenzhen Strategic Emerging Industrial Development Funds (grant no. JCYJ20130401160614372); and The Open-End Fund for the Valuable and Precision Instruments of Central South University.