Evaluation of the potential of barium zirconate on the sinterability and properties of bovine hydroxyapatite

Abstract

In the present study, the potential of barium zirconate (BaZrO3; 1-5 wt. %) on the sinterability, and properties of bovine hydroxyapatite (BHA) was evaluated. BHA decomposed into beta and alpha-tricalcium phosphate (beta and alpha-TCP) at a 4.7 % rate. Tetracalcium phosphate (TTCP) was detected as the decomposition phase in the BaZrO3 added BHAs, and it increased up to 10.7 % with an increasing BaZrO3 ratio. In addition to TTCP, the phases of BaZrO3, Ba2ZrO4, sigma-Ba2P2O7, Ba3P2O8 and CaZrO3 were detected in the composites. The addition of BaZrO3 at an amount of 3 wt. % has a higher potential than the others to improve the sinterability and properties of BHA. It contributed to the increase in the fracture toughness from 0.99 +/- 0.13 to 1.80 +/- 0.12 MPa center dot m1/2 and the compressive strength from 115.75 +/- 4.27 to 173.66 +/- 13.61 MPa, and the de-crease in the brittleness index from 4.24 +/- 0.31 to 2.45 +/- 0.15 mu-1/2. The in-vitro bioactivity of BHA also increases with the additional BaZrO3. However; it is recommended to be used in applications that do not require load bearing in the human body due to its insufficient fracture toughness.