Abstract
Ti-x HAp (x=10, 20 and 30 mass%) composite powders were synthesised by mechanical alloying (MA) using a vibrational ball mill, and MAed composite powders were consolidated into bulk composite materials by spark plasma sintering (SPS). Effects of MA conditions on the hardness and constituent phase of the MAed powder and SPS materials were investigated by hardness measurements and X-ray diffraction (XRD), respectively. No decomposition of HAp in the Ti-HAp composite powders was observed, whereas formation of CaO was observed in all the SPSed materials. In addition, formation of TiC occurred in the Ti-10 and 20 HAp SPSed materials. On the other hand, both CaTiO3 and TiN was formed in the Ti-30 HAp SPSed materials. The hardness of the Ti-HAp SPSed materials fabricated from the 0.5, 1 and 2 h MAed powders were higher than that of the pure Ti SPSed materials fabricated from the none MAed powder. A maximum value of Vickers hardness was 1101 HV when the Ti-20 HAp SPSed material was fabricated from 1 h MAed powder.
