Abstract
Mixtures of β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) and zirconia containing 0, 2, 3, 4 and 8mol% Y2O3 were hot-pressed for 10min at 1300°C-1400°C and 20MPa, and the mechanical properties (bending strength, fracture toughness, Vickers hardness and modulus of elasticity) of the hot-pressed bodies were measured. The zirconia content was up to 50vol%. The obtained ceramics consisted of β-TCP and zirconia. The above-mentioned mechanical properties increased with increasing zirconia content. Zirconia containing 2 and 3mol% Y2O3 (TZ-2Y and TZ-3Y) gave better results than other zirconias. Ceramics containing 50vol% zirconia (TZ-2Y or TZ-3Y) fired at 1350° and 1400°C had a bending strength of about 440MPa and a fracture toughness of about 2.7MPa·m1/2. These values were two or three times as large as those of β-TCP monolithic compacts.
