Development of porous ceramics with well-controlled porosities and pore sizes from apatite fibers and their evaluation

Abstract

Porous hydroxyapatite (HAp) ceramics were fabricated by sintering apatite fibers with carbon beads and agar. The total porosities could be controlled in the range from ˜40 % to ˜85 % by varying the amount of carbon beads (HAp/beads=10/0˜10/10[w/w]), compaction pressures (20˜40 MPa) and firing temperatures (1000˜1300°C). Almost all of the pores were regarded as open pores. The pore sizes in the present porous HAp ceramics found to be affected by the carbon bead diameters (5, 20 and 150 μm) as well as compaction pressures and firing temperatures.