Mechanical and physical properties of calcium silicate/alumina composite for biomedical engineering applications

F S Shirazi; M Mehrali; A A Oshkour; H S C Metselaar; N A Kadri; N A Abu Osman

doi:10.1016/j.jmbbm.2013.10.024

Mechanical and physical properties of calcium silicate/alumina composite for biomedical engineering applications

J Mech Behav Biomed Mater. 2014 Feb:30:168-75. doi: 10.1016/j.jmbbm.2013.10.024. Epub 2013 Nov 7.

Authors

F S Shirazi¹, M Mehrali², A A Oshkour³, H S C Metselaar³, N A Kadri⁴, N A Abu Osman⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Mechanical Engineering and Advanced Material Research Center, University of Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Electronic address: faridseyedshirazy@yahoo.co.uk.
² Department of Mechanical Engineering and Advanced Material Research Center, University of Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Electronic address: m.mehrali@siswa.um.edu.my.
³ Department of Mechanical Engineering and Advanced Material Research Center, University of Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
⁴ Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

PMID: 24316872
DOI: 10.1016/j.jmbbm.2013.10.024

Abstract

The focus of this study is to investigate the effect of Al2O3 on α-calcium silicate (α-CaSiO3) ceramic. α-CaSiO3 was synthesized from CaO and SiO2 using mechanochemical method followed by calcinations at 1000°C. α-CaSiO3 and alumina were grinded using ball mill to create mixtures, containing 0-50w% of Al2O3 loadings. The powders were uniaxially pressed and followed by cold isostatic pressing (CIP) in order to achieve greater uniformity of compaction and to increase the shape capability. Afterward, the compaction was sintered in a resistive element furnace at both 1150°C and 1250°C with a 5h holding time. It was found that alumina reacted with α-CaSiO3 and formed alumina-rich calcium aluminates after sintering. An addition of 15wt% of Al2O3 powder at 1250°C were found to improve the hardness and fracture toughness of the calcium silicate. It was also observed that the average grain sizes of α-CaSiO3 /Al2O3 composite were maintained 500-700nm after sintering process.

Keywords: Alumina; Calcium Silicate; Fracture toughness; Hardness; Mechanochemical synthesis; Young's modulus.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Aluminum Oxide / chemistry*
Biocompatible Materials / chemistry*
Biomedical Engineering*
Calcium Compounds / chemistry*
Elastic Modulus
Mechanical Phenomena*
Physical Phenomena*
Silicates / chemistry*
Temperature

Substances

Biocompatible Materials
Calcium Compounds
Silicates
Aluminum Oxide
calcium silicate