Abstract
Hydroxyapatite (HAp)-zirconia bioceramics, which have excellent biocompatibility with tissue of bone and tooth and good mechanical properties, were synthesized, and their properties and biocompatibility were investigated. HAp powders were synthesized with Ca/P=1.67 and pH 11 by precipitation method. A fine spherical monodispersed ZrO2 powders were prepared by metal alkoxide method, and then they were partially stabilized with 10 mol% CaO by solid state reaction at 1300℃. HAp-zirconia composites were prepared by sintering of these HAp mixed with various amount CaO-partially stabillized zirconia (PSZ). When HAp containing 15 wt% PSZ with 10 mol% CaO (PSZ(10C)) were sintered at 1250℃, it was prevented to decompose into TCP and ZrO2 was uniformly dispersed at HAp matrix. Mechanical strength of these sintered bodies were increased by addition of 15 wt% PSZ(10C), the bending strength of compacts fired at 1250℃ was 165 MPa. HAp-PSZ composites chemically bonded each other in Ringer's solution and the component of bonded layer was HAp. These composites did not prevent cell-growing and exhibit any cytotoxic effects.