Dense/Porous Layered Apatite Ceramics Prepared by Post-Sintering

Abstract

Dense Hydroxyapatite (HAp) ceramics with porous layer were prepared from two types of HAp powders with different sinterability. The ceramics were prepared by post-sintering by HIP'ing at 1000°C, under 200MPa of Ar for 1h without any capsules, after normal sintering in air at 1050°C for 3h. The HAp powders with high sinterability synthesized hydrothermally provided the dense layer of the ceramics, and the commercial HAp coarse powders with lower sinterability provided the porous layer. The dense layer of the ceramics showed transparency with above 99.9% relative density with a median grain size of 0.54μm, while the porous layer of the ceramics showed about 43% porosity with the pore size of about 1 to 10μm.